When you go in for your biannual cleaning, you may notice that your dentist asks you if you floss and how often. This is because flossing is an additional step in keeping your gums healthy. When it comes to oral health, your periodontal tissue should not be overlooked. Sunny Smiles of El Paso, TX, is here to help you keep your gums healthy through proper hygiene, checkups, and more.
The Stages of Gum Disease
Healthy gums should be pink in color and firm to the touch. If you notice red, swollen tissues, or bleeding after you floss, you may be experiencing the earliest stages of gum disease, known as gingivitis. Luckily if this is caught early enough, a series of deep cleanings can return you to good health. However, ignoring these symptoms can allow periodontal disease to progress.
Moderate gum disease can cause the tissues to recede, and your teeth may begin to feel loose. In the latest stages of periodontitis, you may begin to show symptoms such as losing teeth, pain in the gum lines, sensitivity when eating or drinking, and chronic bad breath. The most severe cases of periodontitis cannot be reversed and can only be maintained with routine deep cleanings.
Deep Cleanings Can Keep Symptoms Under Control
Your oral health is linked to the health of your entire body, so it is important to monitor and care for them. There is a relationship between cardiovascular health issues and gum disease. Those who have poor gum health are more likely to experience heart disease, strokes, and more. We know that this can be worrisome, but there are ways to help.
Factors such as diet, age, genetics, and medical conditions can play a role in your gum health, but preventive dental care can help. If you have not been consistent in your preventive measures, there are other options to help.
Scaling and root planing are the deep cleanings that help with typical signs of periodontitis. During these cleanings, the dental staff will get under your gums to clean the areas that you cannot get while brushing. During a standard checkup, your teeth will be brushed, flossed, and polished at the surface level. The purpose of deeper gum cleaning allows tissues to be cleaned more efficiently.
If you put off caring for your gums, your symptoms will continue to worsen. Periodontal disease can cause problems such as bad breath, tooth loss, and more. When it comes to these problems, it can be difficult to restore or replace missing teeth due to having weaker gums and jaws. To prevent these problems, it is best to take early steps as soon as possible.
Keep Your Gums Healthy With Us
To learn if you need periodontal treatment, or to schedule an appointment, call the Sunny Smiles office nearest you in El Paso, TX, today! We have offices in East and Northeast El Paso, and happily welcome patients from all nearby communities, including Chaparral, Canutillo, Vinton, and Sunland Park, New Mexico.