Periodontal disease is detrimental to your dental health, but you can stop it with the right preventive dental care. At Superior Family Dental in Kingsford, Michigan, compassionate dentist Justin Saigh, DDS, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the gums and mouth tissues. Dr. Saigh can help you determine your risk of periodontal disease or gingivitis to protect your oral health with advanced personalized dental services.

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What is periodontal disease?

Periodontal disease is a dental condition involving infections of the structures around your teeth, including your periodontal ligament, your alveolar bone, and your gums. Gingivitis refers to the earliest stage of periodontal disease — an infection that affects your gums.

Dr. Saigh specializes in periodontics — the branch of dentistry centered around the gums and other structures in your mouth surrounding your teeth. He can monitor your gum health as well as treat any diseases affecting your gums.

Dr. Saigh can:

  • Treat gingivitis (mild periodontitis)
  • Treat severe periodontitis
  • Clean infected surfaces in your mouth
  • Remove infected or damaged tissue
  • Place and maintain dental implants

Unhealthy gums can negatively impact your dental health over time. Unhealthy gums are even linked with an array of serious diseases like arthritis, stroke, and coronary artery disease.

What are the signs of periodontal disease?

If you have some of the following symptoms, you might be dealing with periodontal disease:

  • Receding gums
  • Bleeding gums
  • Loose teeth
  • Bad breath
  • Sensitive gums and teeth
  • Swollen gums

If you have these symptoms and they don’t subside, you might have periodontal disease. You should visit Superior Family Dental for professional dental treatment as soon as you can.

Am I at risk of developing periodontal diseases?

Certain factors can increase your risk of getting periodontal disease, including:

  • A poor diet
  • Hormone changes
  • Poor oral hygiene
  • Old age
  • Drug abuse
  • Obesity
  • Tobacco use
  • Genetics

If some of these risk factors apply to you, you might require more frequent dental checkups and cleanings.

How is periodontal disease treated?

At Superior Family Dental, Dr. Saigh determines the best course of treatment depending on your individual needs and the severity of your condition. Dr. Saigh can treat mild cases of gum disease with lifestyle changes and medications. With more severe cases, Dr. Saigh might suggest oral surgery to fully restore your smile.

Some of the most common treatments for significant periodontal disease include:

  • Bone grafts
  • Tissue grafts
  • Antiseptic chip (a medicated piece of gelatin you place in your mouth)
  • Antibiotic treatments
  • Flap surgery (surgical pocket reduction)
  • Prescription mouthwash

Preventive care is key in protecting and optimizing your dental health. Professional teeth cleaning, including root planing and scaling, can help treat or protect you from periodontal disease. With scaling and root planing, Dr. Saigh carefully removes all the plaque and tartar and deep cleans below your gum line.

Dr. Saigh always suggests conservative, less invasive options before recommending gum surgery.