Many cases of gum disease, if caught early, can be treated with thorough tooth brushing, flossing, and use of mouthwash. But what if these measures alone do not address your gum soreness and stop the bleeding? Then, it is time to see the dentist. There are a number of treatments they can use to more effectively get rid of your stubborn or serious gum disease.

Prophylaxis

Prophylaxis is just the professional term for "tooth cleaning." And in some cases, a professional tooth cleaning may be all you need to cure your gum disease. Even with regular brushing and flossing, your teeth can sometimes develop tartar buildup, and that tartar harbors bacteria that can cause gum disease. Get rid of the tartar, and the gum disease will clear up. A standard dental cleaning takes place in the chair of a dental hygienist, who will use a series of scrapers and picks to remove the tartar before polishing your teeth to help keep them from developing tartar buildup again in the next few months. You should notice an improvement in your gum disease symptoms within a few days of prophylaxis.

Root Scaling and Planing

Sometimes the tartar that builds up on teeth extends below the gumline. This is most likely to happen if you are not consistent with your tooth brushing for months or years on end, or if you do not have regular, professional cleanings. As long as you have tartar below your gumline, you will also have gum disease that doesn't respond well to brushing and flossing alone. Root scaling is a procedure by which your dentist cleans your teeth below the gumline. Your dentist will numb your mouth first so that this process is not painful. Your gums will be a little sore for a couple of days after the root scaling, but after that, they should finally start to heal and your gum disease will clear up.

Pocket Reduction

Sometimes, advanced gum disease can cause pockets to form between the teeth and the gums. Keeping these pockets clean can be really tough, and so gum disease tends to perpetuate. Your dentist can perform a procedure called pocket reduction to get rid of the pockets, and subsequently your gum disease. They will basically cut away the extra gum tissue and stitch the remaining tissue together. Again, your mouth will be numb during this procedure, and it will take a few days to recover.

If you are dealing with a stubborn case of gum disease, do not keep trying to fight it on your own. It is time to see a dentist for one or more of the treatments above.

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