Like the rest of the world, periodontal disease is a common condition among adults in the state of Virginia. It’s caused by a buildup of plaque forming bacteria on the teeth and gums. Once the plaque has accumulated on the teeth, it has to be removed immediately. Otherwise, the buildup will harden to the point of creating a layer of tarter. If your teeth are allowed to develop a layer of tartar, you will have to have your dentist at Premier Dental Care remove it for you. Unfortunately, ordinary toothbrushes, floss and mouthwash cannot get rid of plaque once it is allowed to turn into tarter. Sometimes, it forms so deep underneath the gums that it’s difficult for the dentist to reach it, too.

Cases of periodontal disease range from being so mild that the person doesn’t realize that they have anything wrong, to so severe that their teeth die and start to fall out. The most important thing that Virginia residents can do to prevent periodontal disease is maintain a healthy diet, regularly clean their teeth, and go into their nearest Premier Dental Care for annual checkups. Seeing their dentist on a regular basis can help discover and prevent the initial stages of periodontal disease from progressing any further.

The first stage of periodontal disease starts with a condition called gingivitis. This is why dentists at Premier Dental Care recommend washing the mouth out with an ADA approved mouth wash after every meal. If the gingivitis is allowed to progress, it will quickly turn into periodontitis. When this happens, the teeth will begin to fall out because the gums are infected. When the infection is allowed to persist without treatment, the tissues and bone surrounding the teeth will begin to deteriorate. In the worst cases of periodontal disease, the jaw actually requires corrective surgery and dental implants to restore it to a functional state.

The treatments that patients can receive at Premier Dental Care for periodontal disease include tooth extraction, scaling and root planing and antibiotic mouth washes. Surgery is required in the worst cases of gum disease. Virginia residents that only have a mild case of gum disease may receive something called flap surgery, where a flap is created in their gums surrounding the infection to remove the tarter that has developed close to the root of the tooth. In advanced cases, bone and tissue grafts may need to be conducted to help remove the infection and stop the gum disease from developing further.