Ignoring and neglecting basic dental care or oral health needs don’t just leave behind nasty plaque and a case of bad breath. Omitting the dental essentials from your life can result in extra mouth bacteria, decay, and eventually severe gum disease. Gingivitis is easily treated with some common sense and a good professional cleaning if it’s caught in time. Fortunately, this first stage of gum disease is often easily recognized by inflammation of the gums, redness, and sometimes even bleeding. But gum disease spreads so quickly and easily that around 50% of the American adult population has it and most don’t even know. That percentage increases with age, and in the advanced stages gum disease can be irreversible and lead to serious and often fatal diseases. So it’s nothing to trifle with. Gum disease treatments can range from a simple cleaning to gum graphs and even surgery. Of course, your holistic dentist in Fort Lauderdale will do everything possible to avoid the surgical route. But what does that entail?
Scaling and Root Planing
Don’t let the names fool you. Holistic dentistry is completely safe and non-invasive. So the beginning stages of gum disease treatment simply involve a detoxification of the exposed teeth and a descaling below the gums. Bacteria are tricky buggers that like to hide any place they can. This includes inside gum pockets and along the roots. Once you have gum disease, your mouth needs to be detoxified to stop the contaminants from spreading or at least slow them down.
Medication and Deep Cleaning
A deep cleaning is then in order. Removing the debris, plaque, and contaminants left behind help reverse the early to moderate signs of gum disease. Once that’s completed, a mild medication that won’t harm the body but will flush out the negative bacteria will be administered. This is quite different from harmful or toxic medical anesthesia. Not only will the medication help destroy even the stubborn decay and bacteria, but it will also help numb and heal any resulting discomfort or issues from the inflamed or damaged gum tissue.
Laser Treatment
Moderate to advanced gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, may require a more aggressive approach. But don’t worry. It’s still non-to-minimally invasive, completely safe and pain-free. While still a relatively new option, laser treatment has been proven as a successful solution to combat gum disease when paired with scaling and root planing. As long as the procedure is performed by a competent holistic dentist like your Holistic Dentistry in Fort Lauderdale who applies the right wavelengths for the patient’s individual needs, it’s completely safe and effective.
Gum Disease Maintenance
After treatment is complete and gum disease is controlled, a maintenance plan will be formulated and planned around your schedule. This is no time to be casual about your dental care since gum disease can return at any time. So proper nutrition and daily home oral health care will be discussed and planned. Multiple annual cleanings will be arranged. And coaching on the best possible options for keeping your teeth and gums clean and will be provided so you don’t have to worry so much about future problems. One call to your holistic dentist in Fort Lauderdale will help you kick gum disease to the curb.