Periodontal disease is a condition that progresses silently, resulting in severe inflammation and tooth loss if left untreated. When seeking treatment for periodontal disease, you may receive routine deep cleanings involving scaling and root planing besides curettage, surgery with antibiotics accompanying the treatment, or as a stand-alone therapy to help reduce bacteria in the mouth before or after the routine periodontal cleanings.
If affected by periodontal disease, do not expect to receive antibiotics from the dentist near you because they are better used with other procedures like deep cleanings and surgery to reduce or temporarily eliminate the bacteria associated with the condition.
Periodontal Disease Treatments
If you have allowed periodontal disease to infect your mouth by avoiding six-monthly dental visits for exams and cleanings, it indicates you are due for intensive therapy that will require more painful treatments than routine cleanings.
Depending on the severity of the infection, your overall health, and whether you responded to treatments earlier, there are various gum disease treatments. In addition, you can expect the nearby dentist offering periodontal disease treatment in Evergreen Park, IL, to suggest nonsurgical therapies, including the following:
- Periodontal Dental Cleaning: during a general checkup, the dentist hygienist removes plaque and tartar building up on your teeth and hardening on the tooth surface, best removed by a professional cleaning from above and beneath the gum line of the teeth. If you have symptoms of gum disease, the dentist recommends professional dental cleanings more frequently than twice a year. The cleanings are not therapy for gum disease but are essentially preventive measures.
- Scaling And Root Planing: scaling and root planing are performed under local anesthesia because the dentist must remove plaque and tartar from above and below the gum line scraping it away during the scaling and smoothening rough spots around your tooth roots to eliminate bacteria providing a clean surface for your gums to reattach your teeth. Scaling and root planing are performed if the dentist notices you have plaque and hardened tartar beneath your gums that need removal.
- Medications: Magic pills to cure gum disease are yet to arrive on the market. However, your dentist might prescribe medication as part of your periodontal disease treatment. Some options they may recommend include antiseptic chips or antibiotic microspheres, which you can insert into the pockets of your gums to release medication gradually to reduce their size and eliminate bacteria. You may also receive antibiotic gels for application on your gums after a deep cleaning to gain some control over the infection. In addition, enzyme suppressants available in pill form help block enzymes in the mouth from breaking gum tissue.
Antibiotics for Periodontal Disease
Your dentist may prescribe antibiotics with surgery or other treatments to inhibit or temporarily eliminate the bacteria associated with periodontal disease. The antibiotics also help suppress the deterioration of your tooth’s attachment to your jawbone.
Chlorhexidine, an antimicrobial, helps control plaque and gingivitis in the mouth in the spaces of the pockets. The medicine is available as a mouthwash or gelatin-filled chips placed into the pocket of your gums after the root planing procedure. The gelatin-filled chips gradually release medication over a week to help control periodontal disease. Your dentist may also suggest various other remedies as a treatment for gum disease. The professional will have sufficient knowledge to determine whether you need medications and which options best suit your needs.
Do not expect to receive medications or antibiotics without going through the routine periodontal cleaning procedures because no cures for this condition have been developed. Therefore, the optimal option is to prevent gum disease by getting it detected early and receiving treatment before it increases in severity.
You can easily prevent gum disease from affecting you by maintaining excellent oral hygiene practices by brushing twice daily, flossing once, and getting six monthly dental exams and cleanings without exceptions. Gum disease develops from the lack of dental attention because eliminating all plaque on your teeth is practically impossible. The tiny specks that remain hidden between your teeth harden into tartar within two days. Hardened tartar is responsible for gingivitis which silently advances to periodontal disease if you leave it untreated by neglecting dental visits.
If you have advanced periodontal disease, you can expect more frequent visits to your dentist for deep cleanings with medications like antibiotics to help prevent infections from developing in your mouth. However, while antibiotics help eliminate some harmful bacteria, they cannot cure periodontal disease without the dentist’s alternative procedures to improve your overall health.
Consider yourself dealing with a severe infection if you are affected by periodontal disease. Do not believe myths about receiving help from antibiotics to cure the condition because the dentists at Family Dental Care — Evergreen Park are the professionals to best determine the treatment suitable for your situation. Instead, consult them today for periodontal disease treatment with medications to help manage the infection.
