How Long Does Periodontal Disease Take to Heal?

If you have periodontal disease or gum disease, appropriate treatment and care are essential to inhibit and reverse the condition. Our dentist offers professional services to help mitigate the effects of gum disease. Therefore, you must visit the Madison dentist to get started and deal with periodontal disease to improve your dental health.

What Is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease, alternatively called gum disease, is an infection of your gums. It is caused by bacteria similar to tooth decay. The bacteria form a clear sticky substance called dental plaque and build up around the gum line to cause infection and inflammation. Over time dental plaque hardens into tartar which is challenging to remove by brushing and flossing. Unfortunately, it continues attacking your gums and tooth roots.

Symptoms of Periodontal Disease

Early cases of gum disease called gingivitis are entirely reversible with appropriate treatment. The familiar symptoms of gingivitis include bleeding when brushing and flossing, bad breath, gum recession, soreness and discomfort, and discoloration or reddening of your gums.

Your symptoms become severe with the progression of gingivitis. They include shifting your teeth in the mouth and changes in your bite, loosening or complete loss of one or more teeth, sensitivity and pain when chewing, and pus between the teeth.

Advanced stages of gum disease are irreversible. While you can treat the symptoms, the damage to your mouth is permanent. Timely care is essential if you notice the symptoms mentioned above.

What Options Do You Have To Treat Periodontal Disease?

The most appropriate periodontal disease treatment depends on the severity of your condition and how far the disease has progressed.

Some standard therapies against this condition include:

• Deep Cleaning (Scaling and Root Planing): the dentist uses special dental instruments to scrape plaque and tartar on the teeth, an effective measure to resolve early gingivitis.
• Periodontal Pocket Reduction: Small pockets begin forming under your teeth with the progression of the periodontal disease allowing bacteria to accumulate in the pockets to attack your gums. Dentists perform periodontal pocket reduction surgery to prevent the occurrence. Your gums are folded back, cleaned, and stitched back into place to prevent further infection.
• Antibiotics and Oral Rinses: Oral antibiotics help treat gum disease. Oral rinses are also helpful in fighting periodontal disease. After six months of regular use, oral rinses help reduce bacteria by approximately 97 percent.

How to Eliminate Periodontal Bacteria?

Dentists use deep cleanings and periodontal pocket reduction to eliminate periodontal bacteria, bacteria-filled plaque, and tartar between the teeth and gums. Oral antibiotics also help destroy periodontal bacteria when combined with mouth rinses.

Brushing and flossing are also helping to remove and eliminate periodontal bacteria and prevent plaque and tartar buildup. It is why good at-home dental care is essential to prevent gum disease.

How Long Does It Take for Periodontal Disease to Heal?

Suppose you are affected by the early stage of gum disease gingivitis. In that case, you can expect to recover and heal from the infection within 14 days of receiving a deep cleaning and taking the prescribed medications, besides maintaining proper oral hygiene by brushing and flossing as recommended by your dentist.

After you recover from gingivitis, the infection is eliminated and will never return so long as you maintain good oral hygiene and a healthy lifestyle. You must also include visits to our dentist in Madison, WI,  for routine dental exams and cleanings. Unfortunately, the condition will never heal if you have advanced periodontal disease. Periodontal disease causes irreversible damage to your teeth and gums, allowing dentists to halt and control their progression without eliminating the disease.

With advanced periodontal disease, you will require periodontal cleanings quarterly for the rest of your life to keep the condition under control. So long as you continue getting routine cleanings and maintain excellent dental hygiene, your condition will not worsen. Unfortunately, you will never recover from periodontal disease.

You must get help from the Madison dentist soon after you notice the first signs of gum disease. The earlier you seek help and dentists discover the presence of gingivitis in your mouth you can receive appropriate treatments to heal and recover completely before the infection causes irreversible damage to your mouth.

If you think you have gingivitis in the early stage of gum disease, kindly schedule an appointment with Madison Lakes Dental for a comprehensive oral exam and deliver preventive measures to reverse gum disease.