Periodontal disease, commonly referred to as gum disease, tends to come about due to the bacteria that breeds in the plaque accumulating in your mouth. If left undeterred, biofilm (which is a thin layer comprising microorganisms) begins to accumulate at the base of your gum. The most common cause for this is poor hygiene practices. Over time, the biofilm begins to make the gums inflamed as the bacteria are essentially feeding on your gum line. This then causes periodontal pockets, which are little small spaces that start forming between your teeth and gums hence separating the two. Once the periodontal pockets form, other pathogens begin collecting and breeding in them, which causes you to have a gum infection. Without dental assistance, you could end up losing your teeth and may even experience bone loss in your jaw. Thus, periodontal disease needs to be addressed the moment you have an inkling that you may be developing it. Here are some non-surgical approaches to treating periodontal disease.

Root debridement for periodontal disease

This procedure involves both the scaling and the planing of your affected teeth. When it comes to periodontal diseases, the main focus of the dentist is to eliminate any signs of the pathogenic bacteria that are breeding in your mouth. In some cases, you will find that both the bacteria as well as the toxins that they reproduce have started collecting on the surface of your teeth's enamel. To remedy this, the dentist will opt for root debridement, which is a deep cleaning technique. It involves scaling of your teeth so as to remove the hard deposits that have begun forming on the teeth. This is followed by planning of your teeth to make the enamel smooth and bacteria free.

Antimicrobial treatment for periodontal disease

When left unchecked, the periodontal pockets that form in your gums will begin to deepen. This makes it harder to reach the pathogenic bacteria with dental handheld devices. In these instances, the dentist will opt to manually disinfect these periodontal pockets using antimicrobial and antibacterial rinses. It should be noted though that these treatments are only recommended to be used short-term, because extended use will end up suppressing the beneficial bacteria that exists in your mouth, hence putting you at risk of other oral infections.

Bite adjustment for periodontal disease

As gum disease progresses, you may find that your teeth will become loosened in their sockets. After clearing out the bacterial infection, the dentist may opt to use support braces to try to lodge them back into their normal position thus correcting the damages of the periodontal disease.

Contact a dentist, such as Genesis Dental, for more information.