Gum disease is highly common. In fact, approximately 50% of Americans over the age of 30 have gum disease at one severity or another. As symptoms progress, it becomes more difficult and even impossible to reserve. If you have had advanced gum disease for a while, it may feel like you are running out of options. Continue reading to learn more about gum disease and whether not it can be resolved with a tooth extraction.
How Does Gum Disease?
Gum disease is an infection of the tissue that holds your teeth in place. This condition is usually caused by poor oral hygiene, causing plaque and tartar to build up on the teeth and cause inflammation. Here are some of the common symptoms.
- Bad breath
- Red and swollen gums
- Tender and bleeding gums
- Painful chewing
- Gum recession
- Tooth loss
- Bone loss
Gum disease can lead to many different health problems throughout your entire body, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as your oral health and overall health directly related.
Will Tooth Extractions Help Your Gum Disease?
Removing your teeth don’t necessarily treat or cure gum disease. However, they can be a part of the treatment process to restore your oral health. If gum disease has seriously damaged the tissue around your teeth, like the gums and jawbone, your teeth can become loose and even fall out on their own. In some cases, they aren’t salvageable and need to be extracted. That being said, a tooth extraction doesn’t necessarily make the infection go away. You will still need gum disease treatment to eliminate the infection. Tooth extractions are only performed when there isn’t another viable option.
How Does Gum Disease Treatment Work?
In many cases, scaling and root planing can be used to treat gum disease. This is a two-part process that is completed over a couple of appointments. First is the scaling. For this portion, your dentist will remove plaque and tartar from around and below the gumline to reduce the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth. For your next visit, your dentist will complete the root planing portion. This is when they smooth down the surfaces of the tooth roots to encourage the gums to reattach to the teeth. Antibiotics are also sometimes prescribed to fight off the infection.
Having gum disease doesn’t mean that you have to say goodbye to your teeth. By working with your dentist, you can put together a plan that meets your needs and restores the health of your smile.
About the Author
Dr. Dustin C. Lively earned his dental doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry. Since then, he has enrolled in many continuing education courses at the Misch Implant Institute and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. To learn more about gum disease treatment or to schedule an appointment at his office, in Magnum, visit his website or call (580) 782-2552.