When it comes to your dental health, you have to worry about cavities, right? While definitely true, teeth are only one part of your smile. Your gums play a very important part in your dental health. Not only do they help a smile avoid looking “toothy”, they hold onto those teeth.

That’s why gum disease is such a big problem. When harmful bacteria grow unchecked, they can easily irritate, damage, and eventually infect your gum tissues. This can lead to bleeding gums and even lost teeth.

Then what can you do about it? First, call Highland Advanced Dental Care today at 248-329-3552. Dr. LoCascio has the training and experience needed to help identify and treat the problem, even if you are starting to show some serious gum disease signs.

Symptoms of Gum Disease

  • Blood in the sink: When you have gum disease, your gum tissues become easy to hurt.  If you see some blood in the sink after you brush or floss, chances are you have some form of this problem.
  • Receding gums: Gums that are infected with harmful bacteria tend to pull away and recede from your teeth. If you notice that your teeth might look a bit long or discolored near the gumline, this is a bad sign.
  • Loose teeth: As the gums recede, they lose hold of the teeth they surround. This can lead to teeth that wiggle a bit when pushed. In extreme cases, you can even start to lose your teeth.
  • Discolored gums: The damage done by the bacteria to your gums can cause them to lose their healthy, pink-ish color. Instead, they can turn dark red or even black in spots.
  • Swollen gums: Besides, discoloration and receding from the teeth, gum disease can cause your gum tissues to get tender and swollen. It can even hurt a bit when pressed by a finger.
  • Halitosis: As the infection spreads, it starts to attack the gum tissue cells. These begin to die off, which emits an unpleasant odor. People who have chronic bad breath (also known as halitosis) often have gum disease.

How To Treat It

Here’s what Dr. LoCascio can do to help if you have gum disease signs.

  • Root planing and scaling: Part of the problem with gum disease is plaque, a hard substance created by bacteria on your teeth. When they get under your gum line, that plaque irritates and damages your gums. This procedure gently gets underneath your gums to remove the plaque there.
  • Perio Protect®: Since this dental problem is caused by bacteria, it makes sense to target them. In this system, you put an antibacterial gel in a tray that fits comfortably over your teeth and gums. This delivers the gel right where it’s needed.
  • Chao Pinhole® surgical technique: Dr. LoCasio is trained in this revolutionary procedure that corrects for receding gums and covers the right amount of your teeth.

Call us today at 248-329-3552 or use our online form to make your next appointment even if you do not see any gum disease signs. Trained dentists like Dr. LoCasio can spot this problem even if there are no visible symptoms yet.