Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease’s development, and for patients who have it, it can be their smile’s biggest threat. If left unattended, gum disease can quickly grow more severe, causing several increasingly more severe symptoms and consequences. Fortunately, at our Newhall, CA, dental office, we can help you address gingivitis in its earliest stages and help you avoid the damage that it may cause to your smile. If you visit our office soon enough, we may be able to reverse or control it without the need for extensive treatment.

A brief look at how gingivitis forms

There are many different factors that can contribute to your risks of gingivitis development, but its root cause is the excessive plaque buildup caused by harmful oral bacteria. Certain types of bacteria can accumulate on the surfaces of your teeth roots underneath your gums, irritating and infecting the soft periodontal tissues. To treat it, the first step is to carefully remove the oral bacteria that are infecting your gums, which involves deep periodontal cleaning (also known as scaling and root planing).

The most effective way to treat it

Scaling and root planing is the careful process of cleaning plaque and tartar from your teeth root surfaces (scaling) and polishing them to make it more difficult for bacteria to cling to them (root planing). While similar to a traditional dental cleaning, periodontal cleaning focuses on the less accessible roots of your teeth rather than on their crowns. After the bacteria are removed from your teeth roots, your healthy gums can heal and reattach to your teeth. If your gum disease is more severe, scaling and root planing may just be the first step to more involved periodontal maintenance.

The importance of treating gingivitis early

One of the biggest reasons why gingivitis quickly grows into more severe gum disease is because it often progresses before patients seek treatment. As it grows more severe, the disease can cause increasingly more damage to your gum tissues, which could lead to the need for more extensive treatment later. In severe cases, gum disease may lead to tooth loss or the need for tooth extraction, which makes it important to treat the condition as early as possible.

Find out if you need gingivitis treatment

If you have gingivitis, then seeking treatment for it as soon as possible is the best way to protect and preserve your smile. For more information, schedule a consultation by calling Newhall Dental Arts in Newhall, CA, today at (661) 259-7760.