Red, swollen gums aren’t merely an unsightly blemish on your smile. This symptom likely indicates the presence of gum disease, which cannot only be unattractive but can cause significant structural damage to your smile when left untreated.
Fortunately, effective gum disease treatment can reverse the visible symptoms of this condition and restore your gums to good health.
Gum disease is a progressive condition. That is, it advances to more serious stages as time passes. Your periodontist will recommend an intervention based on the stage at diagnosis of the condition.
Red, swollen gums may indicate the mildest form of gum disease, gingivitis. Fortunately, gingivitis can often be addressed with a thorough professional cleaning to eliminate plaque build-up along the gum line, thus limiting the presence of oral bacteria that causes the inflammation in the area.
Red, swollen gums may indicate the mildest form of gum disease, gingivitis.
If you don’t get timely treatment after noticing the milder symptoms, however, you may need to undergo a more invasive gum disease treatment. Over time, the gum tissue will begin to recede and pockets may form between the gums. In these cases, a more in-depth cleaning between the gums and the roots of the teeth – root scaling and planing – may be needed to remove the diseased tissue.
To restore gum tissue that has receded, gum grafting surgery may be necessary. If the bone or teeth are compromised by advanced periodontitis, the patient may need to undergo major restorations, such as dental implant placement to replace missing teeth or a bone graft to supplement eroded jaw bone material.
Patients are strongly encouraged to consult with a periodontal specialist as early as possible if signs of gum disease are evident so that the intervention has the greatest likelihood of being comfortable and effective. Additionally, after receiving treatment, patients should be conscientious about oral hygiene and following up with dental professionals regularly to prevent a relapse.
Not only will seeking treatment for periodontal disease improve your smile’s appearance by reducing redness and swelling in the gums, it will also protect your oral health. Call our office to schedule an examination if you notice any symptoms of gum disease.
