Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. According to the CDC, it affects around half of adults over 30 years old. Gum disease doesn’t just lead to tooth loss. It’s linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health problems. Thankfully, gum disease is treatable.
Gum Disease Symptoms
There are two stages of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontitis. In the early stage, you may not experience a lot of symptoms, but look for signs like tenderness and swelling. As gum disease gets worse, it can cause gum recession, bleeding, toothaches, persistent bad breath, and loose teeth.
Treating Gum Disease
At our Columbus office, we offer a few treatments for gum disease. If you’re dealing with gum recession, we’ll perform a gum grafting procedure. This covers your tooth roots and helps you develop gum tissue. Using AlloDerm Regenerative Tissue Matrix, we’ll restore your gums without collecting tissue from your soft palate.
The other treatment we have is LANAP, which stands for Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure. This non-surgical treatment is great for many cases as it lets us be more precise and inflict less damage to healthy gum tissue. Using pulses of energy, we’re able to gently remove the gum infection, usually without any anesthesia! You’ll be able to return your day right after the treatment and will feel fully normal in less than 24 hours.
Treating Gum Disease at Dental Solutions of Columbus
Gum disease is very common, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. If we catch it in its early stages, it’s usually reversed by improving your oral hygiene habits and keeping up with cleanings at our office. If more serious action is needed, we’re pleased to offer treatments like gum grafting and LANAP. Have questions about gum disease or want to schedule an appointment with Dr. Sitaram or one of our other dentists? Please contact us today!