Gum Treatment in Arlington

Gum disease can be detrimental to oral health. Our dentists are here to help!

Virginia Dental Center is committed to treating and preventing gum disease. With skilled professionals and advanced technology, we can make sure your gums stay healthy so your smile can shine. Don’t let gum disease compromise your oral health – learn how we can help, today!

What is gum disease?

Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, occurs when enough plaque builds up on your teeth and gums. It irritates the tissues in our mouth and can lead to chronic inflammation, bleeding, and infection that destroys your gum and bone tissue that support your teeth. Gum disease doesn’t go away on its own, and will only worsen over time if it’s left untreated.

How is gum disease treated?

• First, your dentist will clean above your gum line
• Then, you’ll be brought back in for a deep cleaning called scaling and root planning
• Next, you’ll want to come in every three months for one year, to make sure your gums stay healthy
• After one year, your pocket depths will be reevaluated to make sure they’ve healed

Catch gum disease before it starts

Virginia Dental Center makes gum disease prevention a part of your check-up. We’ll examine your gums to make sure they are healthy, and free of plaque buildup. Our exam involves gently measuring the depth of the spaces between your gums and teeth.

Healthy gum tissue is shallow and v-shaped between the tooth and gums. Normally, a healthy depth of a pocket is three millimeters or less. An unhealthy pocket is deeper, bleeds, and collects more plaque and bacteria.

What Causes Gingivitis?

The primary gingivitis cause is poor oral hygiene. When you don't brush or floss adequately, a sticky substance called plaque begins to accumulate on your teeth. It's rife with bacteria, and when it's not removed through brushing and flossing, it turns into tartar, which can only be removed by a dentist. Plaque causes inflammation, irritates your gums, and leads to cavities and other problems with your teeth and gums.

Reversing gum disease is possible in the first stage known as gingivitis. However, once it progresses to periodontitis or advanced periodontitis, it can only be treated. There is no gum disease cure at that point, and you'll have incurred irreparable damage to your teeth and gums. You may lose all your teeth, and your face may begin to look as though it has melted if you don’t seek help from a dentist. Periodontal disease is the primary cause of tooth loss in Americans over 35 but is completely unnecessary because gum disease is both treatable and curable in its early stage of gingivitis.

However, without a gingivitis cure or a gingivitis treatment, your gingivitis will escalate to periodontal disease, and you'll require more invasive treatments that can include surgery, root planing, scaling, and more. Take proactive measures and follow the American Dental Association recommendations of brushing and flossing at least twice daily, using an antibacterial mouthwash at least daily, and having at least annual checkups with your dentist.

Are There Visible Gum Disease Symptoms?

Gum disease can be present for a long time, even if you have no discernible gum disease symptoms. However, if you notice any of the following, make an appointment with your dentist:

• An unusual taste in your mouth
• Bleeding when you brush or floss
• Chronic bad breath
• Red, tender, or swollen gums

Any or all of the above can be gingivitis symptoms, so get a prompt evaluation from your dentist to determine if you need a gingivitis treatment or if you have another issue. When you treat gingivitis promptly, it will prevent escalation to the more advanced stages of periodontitis.

What Are Signs of More Advanced Gum Disease?

The following signs of gum disease can be signs of gingivitis or a more advanced stage of periodontal disease:

• Loose teeth
• Pockets of inflammation
• Pus between your gums and teeth
• Receding gums
• Swollen gums
• Uneven gaps between your teeth

These signs of gingivitis may indicate that you have developed a more advanced stage of gum disease and will require a more invasive gum disease treatment. If you notice any of these gum disease signs, make an appointment with your dentist without delay. Gum disease, at this point, doesn't heal without professional gingivitis treatment, so call our Arlington office to schedule an appointment, and we'll help you regain your good oral health.

Are There Different Stages of Gum Disease?

Gum disease has three stages. Gingivitis is the first stage, and at this point, the disease is both treatable and curable. It's the only stage at which there is a gingivitis cure. When you advance to the next stages of periodontitis or advanced periodontitis, the disease can be treated but not cured. You will most likely have incurred permanent damage to both your gums and your jawbone, and in the most advanced stage of periodontitis, you risk the loss of all your teeth. Reconstructive dentistry is perhaps your only option at this point to repair the damage caused by your gum disease in Arlington.

All this damage and discomfort can be prevented by using good oral hygiene, such as brushing and flossing at least twice daily, using an antibacterial mouthwash at least daily, and having a regular checkup and cleaning at your Arlington dentist.

What's the Most Effective Gingivitis Cure?

Prevention is the best way to avoid gingivitis or gum disease. It's the least expensive, the least painful, and the least invasive. Good oral hygiene is the best gingivitis cure for your gingivitis symptoms.

What's the Best Treatment for Periodontitis and Advanced Periodontitis?

When conservative methods haven't been effective, your dentist may resort to more invasive methods to treat your gum disease in Arlington. Those methods include:

• Professional scaling
• Root planing
• Antibacterial rinses
• Surgery
• Referral to a specialist

Since prevention is always the best treatment and it's the least invasive, call our Arlington office to schedule an appointment with one of our skilled dentists.

What's the Best Way to Reverse Gum Disease?

Reversing gum disease is only possible in the first stage of gingivitis, so if you have gingivitis symptoms or signs of gingivitis, call our Arlington office for an appointment. That's the only time it's possible to reverse the effects of it and cure the disease.