It is no secret that not taking proper care of your teeth can cause cavities and decay, but most people do not realize just how serious these problems can become when left untreated. Gum disease is a serious infection that can lead to tooth loss, bone loss and systemic health problems.

What Is Gum Disease

Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, can happen for a variety of reasons, including genetics, smoking and tobacco use, misaligned teeth, or not properly caring for your teeth. If not properly cared for, bacteria can eat away at your teeth and gums, which causes the gums to pull away from the teeth and recede. If it spreads far enough, it can begin to eat away at your jawbone.

What Is Bone Loss

Bone loss occurs with untreated gum disease. As the gums pull away from the teeth, they create small pockets that are perfect for harboring bacteria and food particles. These bacteria then reach the bone. As the bone tissue wears away, you will begin to experience tooth loss, craters and other symptoms of severe deterioration.

How to Treat the Problem

The first step to treating bone loss is to treat the gum disease itself. Our periodontist, Dr. Lindsay B. Eastman, does this via a visual examination and digital imaging of your mouth. The next step is to clear the infection, which we can do with through a minimally invasive laser procedure. The LANAP® protocol effectively removes plaque and harmful bacteria, to restore oral health. This procedure is considered gentle, and is known for causing minimal to no bleeding, pain or swelling. Once the infection has been treated, and if bone or tooth loss has occurred, we can discuss replacing missing teeth using dentures or permanent dental implants.

Do not allow yourself to keep suffering from gum disease in Lakewood Ranch, FL or Bradenton, FL. one of our locations for a consultation today.