Gum Disease Specialist

Having a clean and healthy mouth is refreshing, comfortable, and necessary for optimal health. The caring dental professionals of Pearly Whites Dentistry in Schaumburg, Illinois offer gum treatments, dental deep cleanings, and other effective services and procedures for patients in the local communities.

Successful gum treatments and deep cleanings lower your risk of periodontal disease. If you need to freshen up your smile and improve your dental health, call Pearly Whites Dentistry or book online today.

Periodontitis, or gum disease, is a bacterial infection that can result in damaged gums and, ultimately, loss of teeth. Symptoms include bleeding during brushing, chronic bad breath, red and swollen gums, receding gum line, and loose or shifting teeth. When plaque builds up along the gum line, gums become inflamed and begin to pull away from the teeth. This is why it’s so important to remove the sticky film of plaque that forms on the teeth every day!

The early stages of gum disease are classified as gingivitis, and if caught early on, the effects of the disease can be reversed. Once the gums and bone begin to deteriorate, the damage is permanent and can only be managed, not cured, with professional treatment. Daily brushing and flossing can help prevent the onset of periodontal disease, but regular oral exams and cleanings are necessary to ensure that all plaque and tartar are removed from the teeth and that the signs of gum disease are caught before the damage is irreversible. Many patients do not experience any symptoms of periodontal disease until it’s too late, which is why it’s important to schedule an evaluation today to learn more!

If you have been diagnosed with periodontal disease, you are not alone. Research shows more than half of Americans suffer from periodontal disease. Finding the disease is the first step in preventing tooth loss!

Warning Signs of Periodontal Disease:

• Bleeding gums
• Red, swollen or tender gums
• Bad breath that doesn’t go away
• Loose or separating teeth
• Pus between your teeth
• A change in the way your teeth fit together

Gum treatment is a general term for dental treatments designed to improve the health of your gums and teeth. Many gum treatments also treat or prevent periodontal disease.

Gum treatment can refer to nonsurgical treatments, such as medications for gum disease, professional dental cleanings, and deep cleanings involving scaling and root planing. It can also refer to more intensive treatments like pocket reduction surgery and bone or soft tissue grafts.

Your Pearly Whites dentist can help you determine the right gum treatments for you.

There are different steps involved in a dental cleaning. The Pearly Whites Dentistry team customizes each cleaning to suit your individual needs. A registered dental hygienist typically performs the cleaning before your dentist arrives to assess your teeth. During your appointment, your dentist or dental hygienist:

• Scrapes the tartar (hardened plaque) from your teeth
• Removes the plaque (bacteria) from your teeth
• Polishes your teeth with gel and a rotating brush

For deeper dental cleanings, your dentist might also perform scaling and root planing to remove bacteria and plaque below your gums to prevent bone loss and other dental problems.

Most teeth cleanings take around 30 minutes. Your teeth and gums will feel smooth and much healthier following a dental cleaning compared to your nightly brushing. As a bonus, your teeth will also look brighter and whiter since dental cleanings often remove some staining and tooth discoloration. Fluoride treatments and sealants are also available.

The Pearly Whites Dentistry team recommends professional dental cleanings every six months and more often for those with dental concerns and complications.

Arestin is being used successfully at Pearly Whites Dentistry to aid in the treatment of periodontal disease.

Your gums are an important foundation for your teeth and they provide stability for all of your dental work – so it’s important to keep them healthy. Dental cleanings are recommended at least twice a year. In some cases, we may recommend more than twice a year.

In periodontal disease, a chronic bacterial infection is present. This silent infection occurs when harmful bacteria travel beneath the gum line and create “pockets” or gaps in the gums around the teeth. If left untreated, periodontal bacteria can lead to bone and tooth loss that threatens your foundation.

The good news is that there are effective treatments available for periodontal disease. At Pearly Whites Dentistry, we choose treatments for your infection and are dedicated to helping you fight periodontal disease. You may be treated with scaling and root planning, a common deep-cleaning procedure.

Arestin is a small amount of antibiotic powder that is easily placed into the pocket by a dental professional and releases over 14 days. Arestin placed directly into the pocket reaches the location where harmful bacteria live. Clinical studies show that Arestin and scaling and root planing are more effective at shrinking the size of infected periodontal pockets than scaling and root planing alone.