Gum Disease Treatment

DDS Group is a Wall Street dentist that provides treatment for gum disease in the financial district of New York, NY.

Call 212-269-6655 to learn more and schedule your appointment. 

Your oral health isn’t just about the health of your teeth. Gums are equally important; when gums are unhealthy, teeth suffer too. At DDS Group, our team of doctors includes two periodontists who specialize in treating gum disease. They work closely with our dentists to provide our patients with comprehensive oral healthcare, all under one roof. 

Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, is a condition in which the gums are infected, causing inflammation and damage to soft tissue. As gum disease progresses, jaw bone begins to deteriorate, which may lead to loose teeth and even tooth loss.

Gum disease starts when plaque forms on the teeth. If the plaque is not cleaned, it can form a buildup underneath the gum line called tartar. Bacteria flourishes in tartar; when this bacteria infects the gum tissue, it becomes inflamed and pockets develop between the gums and teeth. More tartar then collects in these pockets, which is why gum disease can progress so quickly.

Because the buildup of plaque is the primary cause of gum disease, the best ways to prevent it are good oral hygiene habits and regular dental exams and cleanings. Brushing twice a day, for two minutes, and flossing between teeth once a day is critical for periodontitis prevention. During our routine dental exams, we check for gingivitis, which is a precursor to gum disease, and clean infection-causing plaque from tooth surfaces.

Early gum disease may have few symptoms, but as gum disease progresses, it becomes noticeable both to you and to others. Symptoms of periodontitis include:

• Inflamed gums––they may be swollen, red instead of pink, and even shades of purple
• Tenderness
• Bleeding and drainage (pus) from the gums
• Receding gums
• Loose teeth
• Bad breath
• Pain when biting or chewing
• A feeling that your teeth have shifted––larger spaces between teeth or upper and lower teeth not fitting together like they used to when biting down

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to make an appointment with a qualified periodontist as soon as possible. When caught in its earliest stages, gum disease is highly treatable. As the disease progresses, its effects may be irreversible. 

The first line of treatment for gum disease is a procedure called scaling and root planing. 

As the name suggests, there are two components of this procedure – scaling the tooth and planing the root. Scaling is the term used to describe a thorough cleaning of the tooth’s surfaces and just below the gum line. Plaque and tartar are removed from all of your teeth using specialized tools. Next, we plane the roots of your teeth––this means we smooth the surface so tartar and plaque have a harder time building back up again and to help your gums reattach, eliminating the pockets where tartar collects. Finally, we use antibiotic treatments to bring your periodontal infection under control.

Scaling and root planing is an effective way to treat and reverse gum disease. If gum disease has progressed and caused damage to the teeth, bone, and gum tissue, other treatments may be necessary. These include pocket reduction surgery, grafts to replace receded gum tissue, bone grafts for jaw bone deterioration, and restorative procedures to fix teeth that have been damaged by gum disease. 

Call 212-269-6655 to schedule your appointment.