Our team at McAllister Dentistry works very hard to prevent, diagnose, and treat periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is one of the most common diseases in the world and can affect not only your gums and oral health, but also your overall health. If you have periodontal disease, you will need specialized care for proper treatment of this disease.
Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that destroys the gums and bone that hold the teeth in place. Left untreated, periodontal disease causes painful, bleeding gums and leads to loss of the bone that supports the teeth.
In a healthy mouth, there should never be a gap between the teeth and gums. With periodontitis, bacteria causes a gap (or pocket) to develop between the gums and teeth. When plaque remains on your teeth for a long period of time, it can send toxins into the gums, making them recede and pull away from the teeth. This can make your teeth look much longer than usual. Once the gums are affected, the toxins reach the bone that holds the teeth in place and begins to destroy it, eventually resulting in loose and lost teeth. The dental hygienists at McAllister Dentistry use a technique called “scaling and root planing” for precise cleaning of roots of the teeth to remove bacteria and to allow the gums to reattach to the teeth. It is very important that patients practice good daily oral hygiene to keep periodontitis from returning.
This disease can first be prevented if you attend regular dental exams and cleanings at McAllister Dentistry. Your dentist or hygienist will remove the plaque from your teeth and reduce the chance of gum disease.
Dr. John McAllister takes the periodontal disease very seriously, and we invite you to contact us as soon as you can if you have any symptoms. For more information on how we can treat gum disease in Hickory, North Carolina, call our office now and talk to a member of our team!
