If you’ve been taking care of your gums recently, you may be wondering how long it will take before your gums are as healthy as possible.
While reversing the effects of gum disease is possible, it takes time, regular visits to your dentist, and a little bit of discipline when it comes to your oral hygiene habits.
In this article, we will go over the steps it takes to improve your gum health, and how long this may take.
Prevention
To keep your gums healthy, you should brush twice a day and floss daily. In addition to these basic hygiene practices, it’s important to avoid tobacco and alcohol. If you have bleeding gums or other signs of gum disease (like redness), see your dentist immediately. Regular visits to the dentist can detect early stages of gum disease so they can be treated before they become more serious problems.
Treatment
The most common treatments for gum health include:
- Professional dental cleaning.
In a typical checkup, your dentist or dental hygienist will remove plaque and tartar (the hardened buildup of bacteria that forms on the teeth) from above and below gum lines.
For people with some signs of gum disease, a dentist may recommend professional dental cleaning more than twice-a-year. Dental cleanings are not a treatment for active gum disease—but they can help stave off its development. - Scaling and root planning.
This is a non-surgical procedure that cleans deep into your gums and removes plaque, tartar, and rough spots from the roots of teeth.
Smoothing the rough spots removes bacteria and provides a clean surface for the gums to reattach to. Scaling and root planing may be done if your dentist or periodontist determines that you have plaque and calculus (hardened plaque, also called tartar) under the gums—and it could lead to tooth loss without treatment. - Flap surgery/pocket reduction surgery.
During the procedure, your dentist will get rid of plaque and tartar on your teeth by lifting the gums back. They may also smooth out any areas where bacteria can hide from mouthwash.
The tissue is then placed so that it fits snugly around the tooth. This method reduces space between gum and teeth, thereby reducing areas where harmful bacteria gather—and decreasing the chance of serious health problems associated with periodontal disease.
Gum disease can be reversed and prevented with quick action.
Studies have shown that patients who follow their dentist’s recommendations may see a noticeable improvement in as little as two or three weeks. More advanced cases of gum disease may take longer to respond to treatment.
If you are worried about whether or not you have gum disease and want to find out more about what steps can be taken to ensure healthy gums, contact Litchfield Dental Associates today. Our team of trained professionals is here to provide guidance on addressing any oral hygiene concerns that you may have.
