Gum disease affects more than 64.7 million Americans. This condition is a chronic disease that stems from poor oral hygiene habits. If plaque sits on the teeth, it’s acidic content causes the gums to recede and can lead to gum infections and tooth loss. If you have gum problems, root planing and scaling is a service that can help soothe your affected gums. This is a removal of infection and debris in gum pockets that can help patients combat the effects of this disease to reverse it.

Gingivitis

Many people know that taking care of the teeth is incredibly important if they want to keep them. However, studies show that the majority of people aren’t brushing and flossing their teeth enough. This can lead to both low-grade and major dental problems. The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth at least twice a day for 2 minutes at a time. Are you following this recommendation? If you’re like 44% of women and 51% of men, then you’re probably not. Of those percentages, many brush once a day, and some don’t brush every day

These habits are even worse in millenials as some studies suggest that only about 3 in 10 millennials are brushing their teeth each day. Three in ten! That can lead to major health diseases like cavities. And yes, cavities—known as “tooth decay—actually are considered a disease. This stems from not brushing and flossing the teeth enough. Another highly prevalent dental condition is gingivitis.

You will known this condition by it’s characterizing red gums. Natural, healthy gums have a softer pink shade to them. However, when your oral hygiene is lacking, you will not only experience dental problems, but your gums will start to inflame, becoming dark red in patches or all over. Gingivitis is also characterized by swollen gums and bleeding gums, especially when you actually do brush and floss your teeth.

Gum Disease: Scope and Statistics

Brushing and flossing the teeth are so important to avoid gingivitis, as it can lead to a worse disease of your gums called gum disease. Don’t think you will know that you have gum disease because your mouth is in pain, because it won’t be. You could have gingivitis for years and not know it if you didn’t look for or pay attention to the signs. When you eat, sugars in your food and drink mix with bacteria in your mouth to form a sticky, acidic film called plaque. That is the crud that sticks to your teeth. Because it’s acidic, it breaks up the minerals in your teeth, making your enamel weak and your teeth with start to decay.

Gums don’t want to be anywhere near that acidic plaque, and they actually get really irritated by it. That is why gingivitis happens with irritated gums that change color and get swollen and inflammed. That’s also why they bleed easier. If you don’t pay attention to those signs, your gums will take matters into their own hands and will start to pull away from plaque. That pulling away is called gum recession, and it can destroy your smile.

Gum recession is a sign that you definitely have gum disease. This recession can also be a doozy, as you may not be able to reverse that recession, especially in later stages of the disease. 8.7% of American adults have mild gum disease (gingivitis). 30% have moderate gum disease with some gum recession and 8.5% have severe gum disease. That stage is when the gums recede so far that the teeth actually become loose and start to fall out! Overall, those percentages lead us to about 47.2% of American adults with gum disease. That equates to about 64.7 million Americans according to the American Academy of Periodontology, and that’s only including the adults!

Periodontal Treatment: Planing and Root Scaling

So you’ve noticed the signs of gingivitis or gum disease. Now what? You make sure you call your dentist asap! The right dental care can reverse gingivitis and even gum disease if it’s not too severe. Dentists also perform gum grafts and other procedures to restore gum tissue to areas that have lost it. However, we like to try planing and root scaling first, which is part of our deep-cleaning periodontal treatment.

These treatments are meant to provide a healthy tissue environment in which tissues re-adapt to normal tooth surfaces. Gum disease is caused by a buildup of calculus (hard plaque), regular plaque and stain on the crowns and root surfaces of the teeth. This is why we want a deep cleaning in those areas. We prep your mouth with some anesthetic to deep clean along your gum line to prevent and stop gingival inflammation that could lead to major damage to your gums and the bones that support the teeth.

Planing the teeth is the process of smoothing the root of the tooth so that any remaining tartar and plaque is removed. It clears away rough areas where bacteria grows below the gum line and it makes it easier for your gums to reattach to the teeth. With that reattachment, your gum pockets get smaller and plaque and bacteria can’t get down in there. Scaling is the scraping and removal of plaque and tartar from the teeth. This happens both above and below the gum line.

Reversing Gum Disease

Do you notice any of the signs of gingivitis or gum disease in your mouth? If so, take action! You want to save your smile as much as possible. Plus, no one wants to have an oral health disease. When you notice red, swollen or bleeding gums, up your game with oral hygiene like brushing, flossing, low sugar intake, no carbonated or citric drinks and more dental visits. Also, make sure to schedule a dental exam with our office by calling Mountain Aire Dentistry at (303) 731-7755 to help fix your smile!