Gum Treatment

Gum disease affects around two in five American adults and is a leading cause of tooth loss in America. It’s crucial to treat the early signs of gum disease to prevent it from leading to complications. Farah Ahmad, DDS, Sumra Ahmad, DDS, and Saira Ahmad, DDS, offer expert gum treatments at Smile Dental Clinic in Falls Church and Herndon, Virginia. The practice treats patients of all ages, offering cutting-edge procedures, including state-of-the-art laser dentistry. Call the nearest office or use the online booking feature today.

What is gum treatment? 

Gum treatment focuses on treating gum disease (or periodontal disease). Your provider might diagnose you with gum disease if they find an infection in your gums and/or jawbone.

An infection typically begins when plaque (a sticky blend of food particles, bacteria, and saliva) accumulates on your teeth. Plaque hardens into tartar, which can cause harmful bacteria that inflame your gums.

What does gum treatment address?

Smile Dental Clinic gum treatments can address minor to severe symptoms of gum disease, including:

• Bleeding gums
• Inflamed or swollen gums
• Tooth loss
• Tooth sensitivity to hot or cold
• Gum recession
• Loose teeth (in adults)
• Widening tooth gaps

Seeking early care helps you avoid severe complications like a stroke, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, bacterial pneumonia, and pregnancy complications.

Which gum treatment options are available?

If you have early-stage gum disease, routine cleanings to eliminate traces of plaque and tartar, regular checkups, and an improved oral hygiene routine will reverse the condition. In more advanced cases, Smile Dental Clinic offers several treatments.

Scaling and root planing

Scaling and root planing are nonsurgical procedures that use an ultrasonic scaler to remove plaque, tartar, and bacteria from your teeth and prevent further plaque buildup.

Gum grafts

This procedure treats receding gums. Your provider takes healthy tissue from your palate or a licensed bone and tissue bank to improve an uneven gumline or cover exposed tooth roots.

Flap surgery

Your provider will make an incision along your gumline, lift the tissue away, and clean your teeth roots. If you’re suffering from bone loss, they might reshape your bone ridge.

Periodontal surgery

Periodontal surgery makes a small incision along your gumline. The surgeon pulls back the tissue, removes plaque and bacteria from your teeth roots, and repositions your gums.

Laser treatments 

Revolutionary laser treatments remove damaged gum tissue using thermal light energy delivered by a pulsed laser into your mouth.

Laser procedures can remove bacteria and encourage tissue healing. They’re excellent alternatives to oral surgery because there’s no cutting or bleeding, and only minimal downtime is needed. 

Call Smile Dental Clinic or reach out online today to schedule your gum treatment or a comprehensive checkup.