Providing Caring & Capable Dental Services across New Haven County
If you've ever experienced red, sore, or bleeding gums when you brush or floss, you’re already familiar with gingivitis, one of the earliest forms of gum disease. While gingivitis can be uncomfortable, it is often painless, which leads to countless cases of gum disease going undetected – and untreated – for many years. As the disease progresses over time, it leads to bacterial infection, bone loss, receding gums, and eventually the loss of your teeth.
At Forrester Dental, we make prevention our first priority. During your regular dental hygiene (cleaning) visits, we thoroughly clean your teeth and gums to prevent infection. We also monitor early signs of gum disease in all our patients, so gum disease that is detected early can be stopped in its tracks. If you’re ready to receive the highest-quality dental care that focuses on preventing problems before they start, call us today.
What Are the Causes of Gum Disease?
Some of the potential causes of gum disease include:
- Plaque formation
- Tobacco use
- Conditions such as diabetes
- Hormonal changes
- Certain medications
- Genetics
What Are the Signs of Gum Disease?
Since gum disease often progresses painlessly, you need to be aware of the following signs:
- Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
- Sensitive teeth
- Chronic bad breath, even shortly after brushing
- Loosening teeth
- Receding gums or gums that are pulling away from the teeth
- A change in the fit of your partial dentures
- Pus emanating from around a tooth while flossing
Millions of Americans have gum disease and aren’t even aware of it. If you’re experiencing any of these signs, it is critical that you receive care. Dr. Forrester’s dental team can arrest the disease – and even potentially reverse it – to bring your mouth back to health.
Am I at Risk for Gum Disease?
There are groups of people who are more likely to develop gum disease.
Risk factors for gum disease include:
- Age – The older you are, the more likely you will develop some form of gum disease. Over half of people over 40 and an estimated 80% of people over age 65 suffer from the disease.
- Gender – Hormonal fluctuations throughout a woman’s life leave her more vulnerable to infection.
- Smoking and tobacco use – Smoking is one of the leading risk factors for developing gum disease, and smokers are more likely than non-smokers to have high levels of calculus around their teeth, receding gums, and loss of the bone that supports the teeth.
- Other diseases – People who suffer from heart disease, osteoporosis, osteopenia, or diabetes are more likely to have some form of gum disease.
If you’re in any of these groups or experience any of the signs of gum disease, call our friendly and professional dental team at (203) 248-7900.
How Is Gum Disease Treated?
If Dr. Forrester determines that you have some form of gum disease, he may recommend one of several options:
- Deep cleaning just below the gums around your teeth
- Antibiotic therapy
- More frequent dental cleanings
- Possible referral to a periodontist, a specialist in treating advanced gum disease
When you’re a patient at Forrester Dental, we treat you like family. That means we’ll give you the best treatment available to make sure you stay healthy well into the future. Prevention is best but if you already show signs of disease, we can help reverse your gum disease and maintain your health moving forward.