Have you just been given the unwelcome news that you have gum disease? Your mind would’ve then immediately gone to the question, “can gum disease be cured?”
The answer depends on how far gum disease has progressed. Catch it early on, and it can be cured. If you wait too long, it can be managed (not cured).
What is Gum Disease and What Does it Do to Your Mouth?
Also called periodontal disease, gum disease is an infection that starts small due to poor oral hygiene habits. It starts with plaque buildup along your gumline, which eventually hardens into tartar if it isn’t cleaned off.
Brushing alone can’t remove tartar. It must be removed professionally by a dentist. If you don’t, it will keep irritating your gums and feeding bacteria, allowing the infection to spread to other parts of your mouth and even into your bloodstream.
The Stages of Gum Disease
Gum disease comes in two stages:
- Gingivitis (the early stage): This is when gum disease first shows signs, which include inflamed, bleeding gums due to plaque buildup. The good news is that bone and tissue damage hasn’t occurred yet, and it’s still reversible at this stage.
- Periodontitis (the advanced stage): At this stage, the infection spreads below the gumline, leading to bone loss. Along with bone loss, you may also experience tooth loss. By this stage, gum disease is far too gone for its effects to be reversed.
Can Gum Disease Be Reversed?
This is the million dollar question. However, as mentioned before, the answer depends.
If gum disease is still in its early stage, yes, it can be cured completely. Since no bone or tissue damage has occurred yet, only the infection has to be treated.
If it’s progressed to periodontitis, things change. At this stage, the infection has moved deeper and started affecting the bone or tissue. Since bone or tissue damage doesn’t resolve on its own, treatment focuses on stopping the infection from causing further damage while preventing tooth loss.
How is Gum Disease Treated?
Treatment for Gingivitis
Because there’s no structural damage yet, treatment is somewhat straightforward. It includes:
- A professional dental clean to remove built-up plaque and tartar.
- Good oral hygiene habits, including brushing twice a day with proper technique and flossing to reach what your brush can’t.
- Using an antiseptic mouthwash recommended by your dentist to keep bacteria levels down while your gums heal.
Treatment for Periodontitis
Since the infection has moved below the gumline, treatment needs to reflect that. Treatment options include:
- Scaling and Root Planing: This deep clean is done under local anaesthesia and removes plaque and tartar from above and below the gumline. Basically, the root surfaces are planed and then smoothed, so bacteria have a harder time reattaching.
- Medication: In some cases, antibiotics are prescribed to help control a stubborn bacterial infection.
- Antiseptic Mouthwash: Your dentist may prescribe a stronger, prescription-strength mouthwash if needed.
- Surgery: Surgery may be required for more advanced cases. This could mean a flap surgery or a bone tissue graft, depending on how much damage has occurred.
How Can I Manage Gum Disease?
Simply getting treatment from your dentist won’t be enough. You also play an important role in managing gum disease.
- Brush twice daily using a soft-bristle toothbrush. When doing so, make sure to follow proper technique.
- Floss your teeth daily to clean areas your toothbrush can’t.
- Visit your dentist every 6 months or as advised. These dental check-ups help us monitor your oral health and identify and treat gum disease early. Skipping check-ups is how gum disease progresses from the gingivitis stage to the periodontitis stage, when it’s no longer fully reversible.
- Keep other health conditions in check. Health conditions like diabetes and other systemic issues should be managed because each one can make the other harder to manage. If you’re managing a chronic condition, tell your dentist, as it changes how they’ll approach treatment.
Remember, treatment from your dentist gets things under control, but the responsibility of keeping them that way mostly falls on you.
Can I Get Gum Disease Again After Treatment?
Unfortunately, yes. If your oral hygiene routine slips or you delay check-ups, the same conditions that caused gum disease in the first place can bring it back.
Being proactive and staying ahead of it is much easier than dealing with gum disease all over again.
Gum Disease Treatment at Ashgrove Dental
When you come in, we will start with a proper assessment to determine how far gum disease has progressed. From there, we build a treatment plan around your specific needs.
Noticed bleeding or swollen gums? Don’t wait it out. Book a consultation to find out exactly what you’re dealing with. The earlier we see you, the better our chances of treating and curing gum disease completely.
