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High Tech Ways to Treat Periodontal Disease

Did you know that an estimated 47% of adults in America suffer from gum disease? That’s a huge number, and one that’s unlikely to change in the near future unless people start visiting their dentists more often. Unfortunately, gum disease only gets worse the longer it goes untreated, so it’s important that you see your dentist as soon as possible to get your gum disease treated properly.

What Causes Gum Disease?

Much like everything else that happens in our mouths, gum disease is caused by those pesky bacteria. As bacteria grow on your teeth, they form a thin film called plaque. If this plaque is left alone for long enough, it can get thicker and harder, causing something called tartar. As the tartar is left on your teeth, it can grow under your gums, causing gum disease to take place.

Treating Periodontal Disease

Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, can luckily be treated by an experienced dentist or periodontist. If your dentist tells you that you need treatment, it’s best to listen. Unfortunately, traditional methods of periodontal disease are often painful and time-consuming, causing many people to be nervous about going through with it.

Traditional treatments for simple cases of gum disease often include increased oral hygiene and a thorough cleaning at the dentist’s office. This cleaning removes the existing plaque and tartar causing problems, allowing the gums to get healthy again.

Serious cases of periodontal disease require more than a simple cleaning. If the tartar has gotten under the gums, causing pockets of bacteria to form, deep scaling will be required. Deep scaling consists of lifting the gums and cleaning the areas that are affected. Sometimes, this requires surgery.

High-Tech Treatments

While the traditional methods of treating gum disease are tried and true, they certainly can be painful and time consuming. With today’s ever-changing technology, new methods of treating the disease are starting to emerge and be more commonly used. You may want to consider asking your dentist if one of these methods will work for your situation.

Laser Treatment

Lasers are being used more than ever in the dental and medical fields alike for the variety of benefits they offer during treatment. Using lasers for treating periodontal disease is a new technique that is gaining a lot of traction in the dental world. Laser treatment provides a useful, non-surgical way to treat gum disease. Rather than use the typical tools used to get rid of the pockets of bacteria, lasers are used to clear them out by killing them. Lasers often cost more than traditional methods, but they are often less painful and more effective.

Ozone

When you hear the word ozone, you typically think about the atmosphere and pollution. In fact, ozone, a particle made from three oxygen atoms, is used to measure pollution, but it is not all bad like everyone thinks. Ozone, when used properly, actually has many benefits for the dental and medical field.

Treating gum disease with ozone consists of flushing below the gum line with ozonated water, or using ozone gas to infiltrate below the gum line to kill the bacteria.

Consult with Your Tulsa OK Dentist

These high-tech methods of treating gum disease can be very beneficial if used in the right ways. If you’re suffering from gum disease and think that either one of these methods may help you, consult with your dentist in Tulsa, OK first. Dr. Henrich can identify specific problems and go over pros and cons of each method compared to traditional treatments.