Treating Gum Disease

Did you know that half of adult Americans have gum disease? Gum disease is on the rise. Our ancient ancestors show no indication of ever having gum disease. It is believed that this is because of their diet. They existed on fresh vegetation, meat, nuts, and berries. Today our diets consist of an abundance of sugars, processed foods, and starches. If you suspect that you might have gum disease and are afraid to get it treated, you are in the right place. Today we discuss how dentists treat gum disease.  

How Gum Disease Develops

Do you know why you should brush your teeth two to three times a day? It is so your teeth don’t fall out. It is as simple as that. Bacterial plaque–that thin, invisible, sticky film you feel on your teeth when you skip brushing–builds up every day. It consists of food particles, sugar, harmful bacteria that feed on sugar, acids (produced by the bacteria as it feeds on the sugar), mucus, and other substances. If it is not removed daily two things can happen. One is that within 22 hours it begins decaying your teeth, and the second is that if it is not removed it hardens into tartar. Tartar is a cement-like material that can only be removed with the proper dental tools via a professional dental cleaning.  If the tartar is not removed, it can lead to periodontal disease, the major cause of tooth loss.

Periodontal Treatment

A procedure called scaling and root planing is a deep cleaning that removes the plaque and tartar on the roots of your teeth and then smoothes the surfaces. The smoother the tooth’s surface the more difficult for plaque to adhere. This has proven a successful way to manage gum disease. However, if the case is extreme, surgery may be recommended.

ABOUT YOUR ANKENY, IA DENTIST:

Dr. Peddicord offers a complete range of preventative, cosmetic, and restorative dental procedures as well as high quality dental prosthetics. Dr. Peddicord can answer your inquiries, and provide the services you need to maintain the health, beauty, and function of your teeth. To schedule an appointment at Peddicord Family Dentistry, please contact us at 515-963-3339. Our Ankeny, IA dentist’s office proudly provides general and cosmetic dentistry services to patients from Bondurant, Polk City, Elkhart, Alleman, and Cambridge.