Fighting the Effects of Gum Disease

Your mouth is home to the hardest tissue in your whole body–the enamel on your teeth. But it is also home to some of the more delicate material in your body. Your gums are essential to maintaining great oral health, but they often fall prone to gum disease. And while the best way to treat gum disease is to prevent it, there are things that can be done after gum disease has set in.

Gum disease occurs when bacteria found in plaque infects the gums. Initially painless, its symptoms include inflammation, easy bleeding, and receding gums. If left untreated, the infection can spread to other tissues and cause teeth to loosen and fall out. Gums can deteriorate as well.

In order to prevent this, it is important to treat gum disease when it sets in. At Dr. Scott A. Ervin, DDS, we offer two methods of halting the progress of gum disease. One, scaling, involves actually removing diseased and infected gum material so it can’t spread further. The other, root planing, involves smoothing the surface of a tooth so that bacteria, food, and other particles can’t get trapped and accumulate. Both can be completed fairly quickly, and are effective in slowing or stopping the progression of gum disease.

Like was said above, the best way to combat gum disease is to prevent it by removing plaque from the mouth. But if gum disease does develop, it can be fought effectively at Dr. Scott A. Ervin, DDS. To learn more about gum disease or set an appointment with Dr. Scott Ervin, please call our office in Terrell, TX, today.