Understanding Periodontal Disease: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatments

Periodontal or gum disease is a common oral condition that affects the gum tissue and surrounding structures. In the early stages, gum disease causes mild symptoms like gum tenderness, swelling, and minor bleeding. Unfortunately, untreated gum disease can cause severe damage, including receded gums and tooth loss!

Don’t let gum disease compromise your oral health. Eckland Family Dental offers comprehensive periodontal services to ensure your gums remain in tip-top condition. Whether you want gum disease prevention, diagnosis, or treatment services, schedule an appointment with Dr. Kale Eckland for all-rounded care. 

How gum disease develops

While several factors can cause gum infection, dental plaque is the primary cause. This thin, colorless film of bacteria builds up in the mouth when you fail to brush and floss properly. Dental plaque inflames the gums and causes symptoms like puffy, red, bleeding, and tender gums.

When left untreated, the infection spreads deeper, creating spaces between teeth and gums. These periodontal pockets attract more harmful bacteria, which attack the teeth-supporting structures, causing tooth loss. Worse yet, uncontrolled gum infection can seep into the bloodstream, damaging your heart, kidney, and other major organs!

Gum disease diagnosis and treatment

We diagnose gum disease using a dental probe to measure the depth between teeth and gums. If this space is more than 3mm deep, it’s a sign of periodontal disease. Moreover, the deeper the pockets, the more severe the infection. In the case of advanced gum disease, we use dental x-rays to examine the extent of bone loss.

Gum disease treatment depends on the severity of the disease. Mild gum disease (gingivitis) is reversible with standard cleanings and optimal oral hygiene. However, if you have more than moderate infection, the dentist will recommend periodontal or deep teeth cleaning to remove harmful bacteria and dental calculus from deep periodontal pockets.

Advanced gum disease (periodontitis) may require complex treatments like gum flap surgery, bone grafting, and soft tissue reconstruction. This doesn’t sound very comforting, but we’ll guide you until you achieve optimal gum health.

How to prevent gum disease

Gum disease can be sneaky, but it’s easily preventable. Prevention is the most cost-effective way of managing gum disease, and here are some ways to protect your gums.

Brushing and flossing your teeth daily
Seeing a dentist every six months
Eating dental-friendly foods
Avoiding smoking
Managing immune-suppressing conditions like diabetes 

High-quality periodontal care near me

Stop worrying about your oral health; don’t let unpleasant conditions like gum disease prevent you from living your best life. Call any of our offices in Redmond, WA, (425) 448-6339 and Everett, WA, (425) 249-3830, and our dental team will help you achieve your periodontal goals.