Gum Treatment Can Bring Back Your Smile With Healthier Gums

Most people don’t often stop to think about how important their gums are to a healthy smile. The teeth usually receive most of the attention since they are more visible when you smile. But a healthy smile is a result of strong teeth and gums, and with gum disease a common disease, we want to take a closer look at treating your gums with the care they deserve.

Probably the most important thing you can do to maintain gum health involves your daily attention. Brushing and flossing every single day to remove harmful plaque is just as vital as seeing your dentist for six-month professional cleanings. Since you eat and drink every day which produces acids that feed oral bacteria, and since the mouth is home to millions of bacteria, you have to clean your smile without fail if you want to control dental plaque.

Plaque is a sticky film harboring bacteria, and it coats your tongue, teeth, and gums every day, building up quickly. If plaque isn’t held in check, it can infect the gum tissue, causing them to pull back from your teeth, forming pockets where even more bacteria can collect. When gum disease progresses, it can lead to bone loss as well as tooth loss.

So, what does gum disease look like? How can you recognize it? Look out for the following signs:

• Receding gums, bleeding gums, red or swollen gums.
• Loose teeth.
• Chronic bad breath.
• Chronic bad taste in the mouth.
• Changes in your bite and how your teeth fit together.

At The Chicago Family Dental Center, we offer treatment for gum disease. Our dentist, Dr. Gary Wegmann offers several solutions including a deep cleaning of the gums, known as scaling and root planing. You may also need to double down on your daily oral hygiene efforts or take antibiotics for the infection.

Is it time to see your dentist for a professional cleaning and checkup? Please give us a call at 312.551.0500 and we will make sure that your teeth and gums get the care they deserve. Healthier gums in Chicago, Illinois are just a phone call away!