Tips For Successful Periodontal Disease Treatment

If you visited your dentist today and they broke the news to you that you have developed the first signs of periodontal disease, then it is important you do everything you can to reduce its long-term effect on your teeth and gums. As your dentist may have told you, periodontal disease is a chronic infection that takes hold in the gum tissue surrounding your teeth. The infection worsens when bacteria and food get trapped around your teeth just under the gumline. In order to control your gum disease and keep your teeth as healthy as possible, you need to take proactive steps such as following each of these dentist-approved tips:

Tip: Stop Smoking

If you are a cigarette smoker, then you are probably tired of hearing doctors and others blame every medical problem on smoking. However, when it comes to periodontal disease, smoking really does make the condition worse. Smoking reduces the blood flow in the small vessels inside of your mouth. This reduced blood flow slows healing times, makes your mouth dry where bad bacteria can flourish, and damages your tooth' enamel. Since smoking is bad for your overall health anyway, now that you have developed periodontal disease, you really do need to stop.

Tip: Be Obsessive About Brushing and Flossing

Once you have developed periodontal disease, it is imperative that you become obsessive about brushing and flossing your teeth. The more you brush and floss, the more harmful bacteria that is removed from your mouth and prevented from adding to the problem. 

You should brush your teeth at least twice each day, once in the morning and then again just before you go to bed. You should also brush after each meal if it is at all possible. 

Every time you brush your teeth, you should floss them. Flossing is essential because it removes the plaque located between your teeth where your toothbrush isn't able to reach.

Tip: Seek the Help of a Periodontist

In conclusion, while managing your periodontal disease at home and with regular dental cleanings is essential, you should also seek the help of a periodontist. Periodontists are specialty dentists who spend their days helping people living with various gum diseases, and your family dentist will be happy to refer you to one they trust for periodontal disease treatment. The periodontist will deep clean your teeth and help prevent premature tooth loss and many other common dental problems that affect people with periodontitis.