Gum Disease in Tucson, AZ

What is Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is an infection that attacks the supporting tissues (gum and bone) around your teeth. Since periodontal disease rarely causes discomfort, many patients are unaware they have an infection that often leads to tooth loss and can affect overall body health.

Periodontal disease has several warning signs that may include gums that bleed when you floss, red swollen gums, bad breath, loose teeth, or even discharge from under gum tissue. With preventive maintenance, periodontal disease can be contained.

Treating gum disease

The primary steps in treating periodontal disease start with a very thorough exam of all of your teeth. Dr. Wissinger will measure the gum support around each tooth and include an assessment of bone loss, exposed root tissue, and amount of plaque and build up.

This assessment is a diagnostic tool to determine the level of disease and type of care you will need. If caught early enough and the disease has not damaged bone tissue, a professional hygiene appointment with instruction on improving daily oral care may be all that’s required.

If the disease is advanced, the level of care can vary from one to several appointments. Each appointment addresses your individual needs and can include non-surgical root planing of infected areas with or without antibiotic placement. If the disease is severely advanced, it may require surgery by a periodontist.  

We are committed to a partnership with our patients and are here to help you keep and maintain a lifetime of great dental health. Barbara and Nikki look forward to working with you.