Gum disease needs to be treated at the earliest. If left untreated, it can lead to periodontitis (wherein the supporting structures in the gums are destroyed and loss of teeth becomes inevitable).
Early treatment for gum disease is key
Various treatments for gum disease aim to reduce inflammation, infection and depth of the pockets (which form between the tooth and the gums), stop disease progression and help reattachment of healthy gums to teeth. Though surgical treatments are available, in cases of mild to moderate forms of gum disease, non-surgical methods like deep scaling or cleaning are enough to remove the agents like plaque and tartar (calculus) that cause inflammation of the gums and surrounding bone. They may also be done preceding surgical methods of treatment.
Scaling or professional cleaning is nothing but the procedure a dentist uses to gently remove plaque, calculus and stains from the surfaces of teeth above and below the gum line with the help of specialized instruments. The procedure does not harm your teeth in any way. Various types of instruments (ultrasonic, scalers, curettes, etc.) are used for the purpose. An ultrasonic instrument uses vibrations to loosen and remove the tartar. The mist of water sprayed from the instrument washes away debris. Scalers and curettes are curved hand tools used for scraping off smaller deposits and to smoothen the tooth surfaces.
The residual embedded calculus is removed and rough spots on the tooth root are made smooth throughroot planing. Smoothing the cementum (outermost part of the root) stops the progression of gum disease by decreasing bacterial accumulation and calculus formation.
Treatments may need to be supplemented with medicines
Often, dentists may prescribe certain medications like antibiotics and painkillers either alone or along with other treatments to control the gum disease causing bacteria. Additionally, mouthrinses containing antibacterials like chlorhexidine , cetylpyridinium chloride; or toothpastes containing triclosan, an anti-bacterial known to reduce plaque and gum disease, are also often recommended.
The dentist needs to look beyond the obvious
Gum disease may not always be due to faulty oral hygiene or the other usual causes. In certain cases, excess and faulty force on the teeth can affect the tissues supporting them. In such cases, biting surfaces of the tooth/teeth may be selectively reduced to correct the undesirable force. This procedure is called coronoplasty. Sometimes, crooked teeth or improperly positioned teeth may make brushing difficult and lead to tartar deposits. They may also cause faulty or irritating tooth fillings and dentures which can be sources for collection of food debris. Identifying these and correcting them goes a long way in treating gum disease.