What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is a form of gum disease that can cause extensive problems for patients who let it go undiagnosed and untreated. It can result in not only pain, bleeding, and swelling, but can result in complete loss of bone structure and irreversible damage--including the permanent loss of your natural teeth.

Periodontal disease is extremely avoidable. It tends to progress in patients that are not regularly brushing, flossing, or visiting their dentist for scheduled check-ups and cleanings. Consistency in visiting Dr. Dietrich for regular visits is essential in detecting periodontal disease before it starts to cause irreversible damage to your smile.

Oftentimes, a patient comes to the office for treatment after the disease has progressed extensively. Treatment for periodontal gum disease varies dependent upon the stage at which it is at when the patient arrives at our office for assistance. In most cases, Dr. Dietrich of Chicago will attempt to perform a deep cleaning for the patient. Deep cleanings will allow Dr. Dietrich to remove all of the tartar, plaque, and bacteria that exists in the patient's mouth in order to allow it to reverse and react to additional treatment and healing. If a patient's periodontal disease is in a more advanced stage, Dr. Dietrich may end up referring them to a periodontist, who is a trained gum specialist that is certified to deal with further stages of gum disease.

Regular cleanings and check-ups, as well as proper oral health care, can help eliminate your risk for periodontal disease. If you have been avoiding the dentist, it is essential that you have a checkup to ensure you do not have the signs and symptoms leading to periodontal disease. For residents of the Chicago area, consider Dr. Dietrich for your next dental cleaning to avoid the consequences of developing gum disease.

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