Gum Disease Treatment in Fort Worth

Gum disease, also known a periodontal disease, is an inflammatory disorder that affects the gums, underlying jaw bone tissue, and connective tissues that secure your teeth in place. According to the most recent numbers reported by the Centers for Disease Control, approximately half of all Americans have some form of gum disease. Periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease, is responsible for higher rates of adult tooth loss than either tooth decay or accidental loss in sports or vehicular accidents.

At David Tillman, DDS, we feel very strongly about helping our patients maintain healthy smiles and strong teeth for life. Periodontal health checks make up an essential part of every non-emergency new patient appointment. If we identify the signs of gum disease, Dr. Tillman will recommend an appropriate treatment plan to help eradicate the disease, restore any lost gum or bone tissue, and return your smile to its optimal level of health.

Treatment options for gum disease might include:

• Improved dental hygiene at home. We can recommend a range of interdental picks, flossers, toothbrushes, and mouthrinses designed to reduce and soothe inflammation for great oral health at home. Not sure how to use a dental hygiene product? We will help you figure out the best way to incorporate it into your daily routine.
• Scaling and root planing. Also known as a deep cleaning, this technique removes built up tartar (hardened plaque) below the gum line and smoothen the surface of the roots to prevent plaque buildup in the future.
• Ongoing periodontal maintenance. After scaling and root planing, we will want to see you every three months or so. These more frequent visits will help us keep a close eye on your oral health.  

Gum Disease Warning Signs

If you notice any of the following symptoms, you need to schedule an appointment at our downtown Fort Worth dental office immediately:

• Gums that bleed easily, especially after flossing or brushing.
• Gums that looks dark red, swollen, or generally unhealthy.  
• Your gums seem to have pulled away from your tooth enamel, giving your teeth a long look.
• Persistent bad breath that does not go away when you brush your teeth.
• Your teeth feel loose or your bite (the way your top and bottom teeth fit together) seems to have changed.

The initial signs of gum disease are relatively painless, so many patients do not bother to seek professional treatment until their teeth begin to hurt. Unfortunately, painful gums usually indicate the onset of severe periodontitis and more aggressive and invasive treatment are usually necessary to prevent tooth loss.   

Risk Factors for Gum Disease

When it comes to gum disease, the good news is also the bad news: you have the ability to prevent ever developing unhealthy gums. Of course, that depends heavily on how well you care for your smile. Poor oral health caused by a lack of brushing and flossing combined with a diet high in added sugars and refined carbohydrates creates ideal conditions for the growth of bacteria responsible for infecting the gums.

While poor oral health is the main risk for gum disease, other factors can dramatically increase your risk for developing the disease:

• Smoking cigarettes and chewing tobacco.
• Diabetes or other chronic illnesses that suppress your ability to heal.
• Ethnicity. African Americans and people of Hispanic descent have a higher risk.
• Age. Your risk for gum disease increases as you age and sky rockets dramatically after you reach your 60s.
• Hormonal shifts in women. Women and girls going through menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause have a higher risk due to hormonal interactions with immune function. 

Stages of Gum Disease

Gum disease is progressive, meaning it follows a predictable series of stages:

Stage 1: Gingivitis. Plaque forms on your teeth constantly. Bacteria in the plaque feed on sugar particles left behind in the mouth after eating and drinking. The bacteria ferment sugar particles, excreting acids that irritate the soft gum tissues, causing them to look red and inflamed and bleed easily when poked or brushed.

Stage 2: Periodontal Disease. Your body senses the presence of bacteria and responds by becoming inflamed and causing the gums to recede from the teeth. As the gums recede, they create troughs referred to as periodontal pockets, in which more plaque, bacteria, and food particles can accumulate and induce infection. Once the depth of these pockets reaches 3mm, the condition qualifies as true periodontal disease.

Stage 3: Severe Periodontitis. The body senses the bacterial infection and responds by destroying the gum tissue, connective tissue, and bone tissue holding the tooth in place. The gums recede further and begin to look extremely unhealthy, the breath takes on a characteristic foul odor, and the teeth loosen in their sockets. This stage will result in tooth loss and bone loss if not treated. Any bone loss will need to be corrected via bone grafting and the teeth should be replaced with dental implants, bridgework, or dentures.  

How Gum Disease Impacts Your Overall Health

Gum disease may not seem very serious. After all, who has the time or energy to worry about how healthy their gums are when they are already busy worrying about more serious illnesses, like heart attacks, stroke, and diabetes? Unfortunately, not paying attention to the health of your gums can actually increase your risk for some of those very diseases you are trying to avoid, including:

• Cardiovascular Disease. A study recently published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association showed that people with higher levels of certain oral bacteria have higher instances of atherosclerosis in the carotid artery (hardening of the artery located in the neck that controls oxygen and blood flow to the head). Atherosclerosis of the carotid artery leads directly to a higher risk of strokes.
• Diabetes. The connection between gum disease and diabetes is so well-accepted that many health professionals look at a gum disease diagnosis as a precursor to a diabetes diagnosis, and vice versa. While the exact nature of the cyclic relationship between these two diseases remains unclear, many scientists suggest that levels of glucose (sugar) present in a diabetic's saliva and blood stream provide a steady food source for the oral bacteria responsible for causing gum disease. Furthermore, people with diabetes have poor circulation, which reduces healing times and the body's ability to fight infections like gum disease.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis. Gum disease is an inflammatory illness and, as such, untreated inflammation in the mouth can lead to an intensification of inflammatory response across the body. Scientists have long linked rheumatoid arthritis, a joint inflammation, to gum disease and recent research has pointed to a potential cause. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), the strain of bacteria responsible for causing gum disease, releases an enzyme that intensifies the body's immune response in the joints. The immune system prompts inflammation which, in turn, destroys the cartilage and bone tissue within the joints, leading to impaired function and pain. Controlling populations of oral bacteria, then, could help alleviate or even prevent rheumatoid arthritis.

About David Tillman, DDS

Drawing from a wealth of continuing education and hands-on experience, Dr. David Tillman and his staff are committed to providing individuals and families with exceptional general, restorative, and cosmetic dental care from our Fort Worth, TX dentist office. To schedule an appointment or complimentary consultation, call us today at (817) 870-4746. Located in the heart of the Downtown Fort Worth medical district, we proudly serve patients from across the Metroplex.