Periodontal Gum Treatment in Palo Alto

Treating & Preventing Periodontal Gum Disease!

Everyone’s mouth harbors bacteria and other particles that lead to plaque buildup, says Dr. Heidari here at Serenity Dental Palo Alto. Although brushing and flossing your teeth does help eliminate plaque, it’s never enough to get rid of all of it. When plaque remains on teeth for too long, it hardens and forms a substance called tartar

The longer plaque and tartar remain on your teeth, the more harmful that they can become to your oral health. This could lead to gum inflammation and bleeding, a condition commonly referred to as gingivitis. This mild gum disease can often be fixed with regular brushing and flossing, but left untreated it can turn into periodontitis, a much more severe inflammation around the tooth that forms pockets of infection.

The body’s natural response to this infection is to begin breaking down the bones and tissue that keep your teeth in their right place, meaning that without treatment, you could lose your teeth completely.

The first step in controlling these conditions is to gain control over the infections that cause them. In addition to regular flossing and brushing, our dentists may encourage behavioral changes such as drinking less soda and quitting smoking. If symptoms have progressed beyond minor infections, however, other procedures might be necessary.

Non-surgical procedures to treat periodontitis and gingivitis include deep-cleaning techniques like root planing and scaling. Root planing involves the elimination of the tooth’s rougher spots where toxins from bacteria build up. Scaling is the scraping of tartar both above and below your gum line.

If these treatments are not an option for your condition, then periodontal surgery may be necessary. Dr. Heidari will analyze the condition of your mouth and make recommendations based on the level of infection in your tissue.

For more information about the periodontal therapy & gum treatment services we provide, please call our Palo Alto dentist office at 650.327.7525 or email us at APPT@PaloAltoDentistry.com.

Our Other Locations:

Our Dental office Serving  San Jose, Santa Clara, Los Gatos, Saratoga
If you are in or around San Jose, please visit our San Jose Periodontist page or call our office at 408.999.0444. We’re happy to answer any of your questions.

Our Dental Office Serving in Aptos, Santa Cruz, Soquel and Capitola
We also offer periodontal and gum disease therapy in Aptos, Santa Cruz, Capitola and Soquel. Please visit our Aptos Periodontal Therapy page or call our office there at 831.688.6531 for more information.