Gum Disease Dentist NYC

If you’re suffering from periodontal disease, where the connective tissue protecting your teeth has become inflamed and has begun to lead to the loss of your teeth, it could be in your best interests to reach out to a gum disease dentist in NYC.

We can examine the tissues of your mouth and gums to determine if gingivitis has set in and perform a routine teeth cleaning to properly examine your teeth and see if bone recession has begun so that we can establish a treatment plan for cases where gum disease is imminent.

Different Types of Gum Disease

There are a couple of different types of gum disease that you could be diagnosed with, including gingivitis and periodontitis. During your initial exam, we will be able to establish whether or not you have, in fact, developed gum disease and how advanced your condition might be.

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease. The good thing about gingivitis is that it is entirely reversible when treated by a dental professional. Many times, those who have gingivitis aren’t even aware that they have gum disease, as this stage isn’t known for causing discomfort, but rather bleeding or swollen gums.

Gingivitis can be caused, like all types of gum disease, by poor dental care, but it can also be caused by conditions like HIV, hormonal imbalances, stress, diabetes, aging, the onset of puberty, smoking, substance abuse, and certain medications.

Periodontitis

When gingivitis advances further, periodontitis can develop. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory condition of the mouth that causes the gums, bones, and tissues to disintegrate. This condition is not reversible, but it can be treated so that your gum disease doesn’t continue to worsen. There are four different categorizations of periodontal disease:

Periodontitis as a Result of Systemic Diseases – Possibly the only good thing that can come from the development of gum disease is that it can lead to the diagnosis of a systemic condition such as a respiratory condition or heart disease that might have gone undiagnosed if you hadn’t sought treatment for periodontitis. This category of gum disease most frequently affects children and young adults.
Aggressive – When you’re diagnosed with aggressive periodontal disease, it is usually because you are otherwise in healthy condition but have rapid bone and attachment loss, as well as a genetic predisposition to gum disease.
Chronic – Chronic gum disease is the most common type of periodontitis. It can be diagnosed when pockets have begun to form, there is inflammation of the gums present, there is recession of the gingiva, and bone loss has begun to set in. This form of periodontitis is most commonly seen in adults, but it can develop at any point where proper dental hygiene has declined.
Necrotizing – People suffering from compromised immune systems, such as those with HIV, diabetes, malnutrition, or substance abuse, are frequently diagnosed with necrotizing periodontitis. This will be diagnosed when the ligaments, bones, and tissues that make up the mouth are dead or dying.

Once your dentist has determined how advanced your periodontitis has become, a treatment plan will be presented. This will help ensure that your symptom progression is halted and your mouth becomes as healthy as possible.

What Causes Degradation of the Gums?

Many factors are known to cause the onset of gum disease. Most often, it is caused by improper dental hygiene. Removing plaque through teeth cleanings is crucial to maintaining the cleanliness of your teeth. Failure to remove this plaque allows bacteria to seep into your gums, which can lead to gingivitis and eventual gum disease.

Other times, medical conditions beyond your control can cause you to suffer from periodontitis. For instance, kidney diseases and diabetes are known for an overproduction of sugar levels, which can leave the gums susceptible to the bacteria responsible for gum disease.

By maintaining the care and hygiene of your mouth with regular teeth cleanings and exams, you are taking the best steps available in protecting your teeth from becoming infected with periodontal disease.

Signs and Symptoms of Gum Disease

The symptoms of gum disease, also referred to as periodontal disease, can manifest in a number of different ways. More often than not, your mouth could be showing signs of gum disease if:

Your gums have become very sensitive to hot or cold.
Your gums have begun to bleed when you are brushing your teeth.
You’ve noticed bad breath where you hadn’t before.
Your teeth have started to feel loose.
There are infections or abscesses deep in the roots of your teeth.
Your gums are tender, receding, swollen, or red.

As can be seen, the symptoms of gum disease can be quite painful and alarming. For this reason, you should get in touch with an experienced gum disease dentist as soon as possible so that you can correct and prevent any damage that’s been done to your mouth.

Gum Disease Treatment Options

Before a treatment plan can be established, we will first need to conduct a hygiene evaluation on your mouth to determine if plaque is able to be removed during your daily brushing and calculus must be professionally cleaned away. Only then will we be able to tell the severity of your gum disease.

In more serious cases, we may recommend tissue regeneration surgery, where we insert bone and tissue grafts to grow and strengthen your teeth and gums once bacteria has been removed from the pockets of your gums. Another option could be eliminating the gum pockets altogether by reshaping the bones.

Treating gum disease can be an ongoing process, albeit a necessary one, to ensure that your teeth are being properly cared for and that gum pockets remain free of infection.

Contact a Gum Disease Dentist in NYC

When your dental health is in jeopardy and your mouth has began to degrade, getting help for the onset of gum disease is critical. For more information about the treatment and outlook of gum disease, speak with a skilled New York dentist. You can schedule an appointment with us today by filling out the appointment request form below or by giving us a call at 555-555-5555.