Gum Disease Needs to Be Treated Before It Can Progress

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Gum disease might not sound serious at first, yet it can pose a serious threat to the health of your mouth and the long-term integrity of your teeth. Gum disease is typically the result of poor oral hygiene habits that fail to clear the teeth of plaque and food residue. When this happens, these substances can harden into bacteria-rich calculus.

Also known as hardened tartar, its presence at the base of the teeth near the gum line can allow bacteria to inflame the gums. This condition, known as gingivitis can cause your gums to appear inflamed and bleed easily as you perform your oral hygiene regimen. Untreated gum disease can also cause chronic bad breath problems.

Without timely treatment by one of our dentists, Drs. Joseph Opack, Peter Stanton and David Opack in St. Paul, Minnesota, gingivitis will inevitably progress. In time, gum disease can develop into a more advanced gum health condition known as periodontitis. When this happens the inflammation in the gum tissue starts to cause them to recede from the base of your teeth.

This can allow pockets of infection to form near the roots of your teeth which then threaten the roots and may even cause a loss of bone structure in your jaw. In some cases, advanced periodontitis requires surgical intervention or prescription antibiotics to effectively treat and resolve the problem.

If you live in the St. Paul, Minnesota area and you have gum disease concerns, we invite you to call 651-488-5522 to seek diagnosis and treatment at St. Paul Family Dentistry. Our team looks forward to helping you maintain your confident smile!