This Halloween, you might enjoy a few good scares from haunted houses, horror movies, or silly office pranks.
What you shouldn’t have to fear is poor dental health or an unsightly smile caused by advancing gum disease!
That’s why your friends at Elizabeth Kilpatrick-Fox, DMD are sharing some insights into this oral health threat and how we can help you fight back!
What’s Hiding In The Dark Corners Of Your Mouth?
Gum disease is a pretty insidious health problem because it can quietly lurk inside your mouth and progress before you might notice any symptoms. While your dentist can detect it during a comprehensive dental exam, you may not notice visible signs of gum infection in between those checkups unless you know what to look for. It’s also another reason that your daily commitment to best oral hygiene practices is so important in preventing the spread of gum disease.
In its earliest stage, gum disease is called gingivitis. It’s when you might see blood when you brush or floss, or your gums may look a bit more red, and even become swollen or tender. Bad breath is also a common symptom.
If untreated, gingivitis can progress into periodontitis, where pockets form under the gumline and collect food and plaque. In advanced periodontitis, your teeth are at serious risk. This is where gums are receding from your teeth, your jawbone can deteriorate, and you might notice your teeth are starting to loosen, shift, and even fall out.
You and Dr. Fox need to work as a team to stay ahead of this destructive process so that it doesn’t silently lurk in your mouth and wreak havoc on your oral and overall health!
The Modern, Comfortable Way To Treat Gum Disease
The sooner gum disease is detected, the better chance you have of reversing it. That’s why it’s never a good idea to skip a routine dental cleaning and exam. Not only are these appointments necessary to remove and prevent plaque buildup, but it’s when we get the chance to give your mouth a thorough check for signs of infection and allows us to intervene as early as possible.
If we spot gum disease, we can treat it with scaling and root planing, which is a way to clean deep under the gumline and smooth out the roots of your teeth so your gums can reattach as they heal.
But if your gums have been too damaged by the infection, we offer one of the latest innovations in gum disease treatment that is less invasive and more comfortable than conventional procedures.
It’s called Chao Pinhole® treatment, where Dr. Fox numbs the area and carefully repositions your gum tissue without any cutting or stitching. This allows for faster, easier healing for our patients!
The pinhole technique also doesn’t require grafting tissue from other parts of your mouth that can sometimes look unnatural against surrounding gum tissue in the treated area, so you get more attractive results!
Call Us Today For An Appointment!
With the experience, skill, and commitment to innovative solutions, your Swedesboro dentist can help you fight gum disease and turn your oral health around.
To protect your teeth and gums, visit us soon for your next dental cleaning and exam.
Call Elizabeth Kilpatrick-Fox, DMD today at 856-997-2767 or fill out our online form to request an appointment.