Learning that you have gum disease can sometimes come as a shock. While this ailment can usually be reversed if it is caught in its early stage called gingivitis, treating it requires professional intervention if it has advanced to the later and much more destructive stage of periodontitis. Here are a few excellent questions to raise when you see your periodontist to discuss your upcoming gum disease treatment.
How Advanced Is My Gum Disease?
Gum infections are divided into gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is the early stage on infection that involves tenderness, swelling, inflammation, and bleeding gums, and it can usually be reversed with a sincere commitment to better brushing and flossing habits. Periodontitis, on the other hand, causes permanent damage such as jawbone erosion, a receding gumline, and tooth loss. Advanced gum infections may also spread to other parts of the body where they can cause dangerous secondary infections like sepsis and pneumonia.
Will I Need Follow-Up Appointments?
Addressing advanced gum disease typically requires a customized treatment plan based on your oral health situation and how advanced the infection is. While restoring your gums begins with an initial treatment at your periodontist’s office, the work doesn’t end there. You can expect them to recommend coming back for regular follow-up appointments to preserve your oral health and prevent your gum disease from recurring. Generally, these visits take place every two to six months.
Do You Offer Dental Sedation?
Many people are afraid of oral health professionals like dentists and periodontists, so many of these providers offer sedation options that can help you relax while reducing your awareness of discomfort. These treatments can come in forms like:
- Nitrous Oxide: Also called laughing gas, this colorless and odorless gas has been used for centuries to help dental patients sit comfortably through procedures without having to worry about side effects. You can even drive home after receiving it.
- Oral Conscious Sedation: Your periodontist can prescribe some form of orally administered sedative to be taken before your appointment so that the effects kick in by the time you are sitting in the periodontist’s chair. This treatment can cause side effects like grogginess or difficulty remembering the procedure, and you will need someone to drive you home.
- IV Dental Sedation: In more extreme cases of dental anxiety, IV sedation can allow patients to enter a deeply relaxed state. The dental team will monitor your blood pressure to make sure that you are perfectly safe during the procedure, and you will need someone to give you a ride to and from the office.
Gum disease therapy can restore the health and appearance of your smile after oral infection. Knowing what to ask during your initial appointment can take a lot of stress out of the treatment process and help you achieve better results.
About the Author
Dr. John C. Tunnell earned his dental doctorate at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio before completing his residency at the Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry. He is proud to hold memberships with the American Dental Association, the Texas Dental Association, and the American Academy of Periodontology. His office in Dallas offers gum disease treatments, dental implants, and periodontal emergency services. To learn more about treating gum disease, contact his office online or dial (469) 640-6730.