TL;DR
Gum disease begins as gingivitis, gums that are inflamed and bleed easily, and can progress to periodontitis, where the bone around the teeth is lost. It often causes no pain until it’s well advanced. At Stone Falls Dental Care the gums are checked at every exam, and care ranges from a deep cleaning to Perio Protect trays worn at home, followed by maintenance visits spaced closer together than routine cleanings.
How does gum disease start and progress?
It starts with plaque, the soft film of bacteria that forms on teeth every day. Left in place along the gumline, plaque hardens into tartar and the gums react: they redden, swell and bleed when you brush. That first stage, gingivitis, can be reversed with a professional cleaning and better care at home.
If the infection keeps going, it moves below the gumline. The gums pull away from the teeth and form pockets, and the bone that anchors the teeth slowly breaks down. That’s periodontitis. Teeth can loosen, shift or spread apart, and bad breath lingers however often you brush. Smoking and diabetes both raise the risk and make the disease harder to control.
What signs of gum disease should send you to the dentist?
Bleeding when you brush or floss is the earliest and most common sign, since healthy gums don’t bleed. Watch for these as well:
- Gums that look red, puffy or feel tender
- Gums that have pulled back, making teeth look longer
- Bad breath or a bad taste that doesn’t go away
- New gaps between teeth, or teeth that feel loose
- Pus where the tooth meets the gum
- A change in how your teeth fit together when you bite
How does this practice approach gum disease?
We measure first, explain what we find, then treat in proportion. At your exam we record the depth of the space between each tooth and its gum, note where it bleeds and read the X-rays for bone loss, and you’ll see the numbers yourself; how gum disease is diagnosed explains each step. Mild cases often settle with a thorough cleaning and changes at home. Deeper pockets need cleaning below the gumline.
For some patients we add Perio Protect: a medication Dr. Prane prescribes, delivered under the gums in custom trays you wear for a few minutes a day, alongside your in-office cleanings. Once the infection is under control, the work turns to keeping it there, with maintenance visits and fresh measurements to confirm it stays quiet.