Gum disease is usually easy to prevent. Maintaining an excellent oral hygiene routine and seeing your dentist every six months for cleanings and checkups can prevent the development of this type of infection. That being said, nearly half of Americans over the age of 30 are suffering from gum disease at one stage or another. As your symptoms progress, it becomes much more difficult and even impossible to reverse. If you’ve had advanced gum disease for a while, it may feel like you are running out of options. Continue reading to learn more about gum disease and whether or not tooth extractions can eliminate your infection.
How Does Gum Disease Work?
Gum disease is an infection of the tissue that holds your teeth in place. This condition is usually caused by poor oral hygiene, causing plaque and tartar to build up on the teeth and cause inflammation. Here are some of the most common symptoms.
- Bad breath
- Red and swollen gums
- Tender and bleeding gums
- Painful chewing
- Gum recession
- Tooth loss
- Bone loss
Gum disease can lead to many different health problems throughout your entire body, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as your oral health and overall health are directly related.
Will Extracting Your Teeth Eliminate Gum Disease?
Removing your teeth will not necessarily treat or cure your gum disease. However, they can be a part of the treatment process to restore your oral health. If gum disease has seriously damaged the tissue around your teeth, such as the gums and jawbone, your teeth can become loose and even fall out on their own. In some cases, the teeth are not salvageable and will need to be extracted. That being said, a tooth extraction won’t necessarily make the infection go away. You will still need periodontal treatment, like scaling and root planing, to eliminate the infection. Tooth extraction is only performed when there are no other viable options.
How Does Scaling & Root Planing Work?
In many cases, scaling and root planing can be used to treat gum disease. This is a two-part process that is completed over a couple of appointments. First is the scaling. For this portion, your periodontist will remove plaque and tartar from around and below the gumline to reduce the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth. For the next visit, your periodontist will complete the root planing portion. This is when your periodontist smooths down the surfaces of the tooth roots to encourage the gums to reattach to the teeth.
Having gum disease doesn’t mean that your teeth need to go. By working with your periodontist, you can put together a treatment plan that’s right for you!
About the Practice
At Rocky Mountain Periodontal Specialists, L.L.C., Dr. Geoff Haradon, Dr. Karl Lackler, and Dr. Tyler Haradon work together to treat patients in the Colorado Springs community. With their combined experience and expertise, they can meet pretty much all of your periodontal needs under one roof. To learn more about gum disease or to schedule a consultation, visit their website or call (719) 574-4867.