Gum disease is the greatest threat to your teeth, and early treatment is important. By treating gum disease as soon as it is diagnosed, you can save yourself discomfort and can increase the odds of keeping your natural teeth.

What is "gum disease"? The term gum disease--or periodontal disease--describes bacterial growth and production of factors that gradually destroy the tissue surrounding and supporting the teeth. "Periodontal" means "around the tooth."

Symptoms of periodontal disease often are subtle, but it is not entirely without warning signs. Certain symptoms may point to some form of the disease. They include:

• gums that bleed during and after toothbrushing
• red, swollen or tender gums
• persistent bad breath or bad taste in the mouth
• receding gums
• formation of deep pockets between teeth and gums
• loose or shifting teeth
• changes in the way teeth fit together on biting, or in the fit of partial dentures.

Treatment options involve home care that includes proper brushing and flossing, non-surgical therapy that controls the growth of harmful bacteria and, in more advanced cases of disease, surgery to restore supportive tissues.

Although brushing and flossing are equally important, brushing eliminates only the plaque from the surfaces of the teeth that the brush can reach. Flossing, on the other hand, removes plaque from in between the teeth and under the gumline. Both should be used as part of a regular at-home, self-care treatment plan.

If your dentist determines that you have some bone loss or that the gums have receded from the teeth, one of the most common treatments is an intensive deep-cleaning, non-surgical method called scaling and root planing (SRP). Scaling scrapes the plaque and tartar from above and below the gumline. Root planing smoothes rough spots on the tooth root where germs collect and helps remove bacteria that can contribute to the disease. This smooth, clean surface helps allow the gums to reattach to the teeth. Successful scaling and root planing may prevent the need for gum surgery later on.

To kill the infection found, All Aspects Dental uses ARESTIN® an antibiotic treatment that comes in powder form. This powder is placed inside infected periodontal pockets just after the scaling and root planing (SRP) procedure. The powder is contained in “Microspheres”, tiny, bead-like particles that are smaller than grains of sand and are not visible to the eye. These beads are filled with the antibiotic minocycline, and they release the drug over time, for up to 21 days, into the infected periodontal pocket, killing the bacteria that causes periodontal disease.

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