Gum Disease

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// Periodontics Houston, TX

Painlessly Treat Your Gingivitis In Houston

Let Us Help You Protect Your Smile

Do you have constant gum pain or notice that your gums easily bleed when you brush or floss your teeth? If so, you may have gingivitis, the earliest form of gum disease, or periodontal disease. What is gum disease? Gum disease is an infection and inflammation of the gums caused by a buildup of plaque, tartar, and bacteria on your teeth. As it worsens, it can begin to affect the jawbone supporting your teeth, leading to your teeth shifting, loosening, or even falling out! Gum disease symptoms include: bleeding gums while brushing or flossing; swollen, red, or tender gums; receding gum line/teeth appearing longer; loose or separating teeth; sensitive teeth; pain when chewing; partial dentures no longer fitting correctly; and persistent bad breath. Don’t worry; there’s no reason to panic. At Nu Dentistry, our team of incredible dentists and periodontists makes it easy for you to receive gingivitis treatment. We always make sure to catch your gum disease at its earliest stages and take care of it as soon as possible. We’re dedicated to preserving your smile, however we can. Our dentists are thorough when it comes to your dental care because we know that a healthy smile makes for a happy, healthy life. Are you ready to come in for your gingivitis treatment? Connect with our office to schedule an appointment today.

// Nu Dentistry in Houston, Texas

Gum Disease Stages

Know What Gum Disease Looks Like So You Can Recognize It

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Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease, characterized most often by bleeding gums while brushing and flossing. Gingivitis is the only form of periodontal disease that is fully reversible. At this stage, the damage caused by plaque and bacteria buildup hasn’t reached the bone or connective tissue that keeps your teeth firmly in place in your mouth.

Mild Periodontitis

The next level of periodontal disease is periodontitis. In this stage, irreversible damage occurs to the jawbone and gum tissue. As the gums begin to pull away from the teeth, pockets form that allow food and plaque to get stuck and quicken up the pace of decay. At this point, the symptoms and decay can only be treated. The root problem can’t be taken care of for good.

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Illustration of denture with gingival receptacle
Moderate Periodontitis

Once gum disease progresses into moderate periodontitis, your teeth become loose as the gums further recede, and the bone begins to decay. The pockets between teeth and gums grow deeper, and the inflammation and decay worsens. Your gums may start bleeding even when not brushing or flossing your teeth.

Advanced Periodontitis

In the last and most severe form of periodontitis, a patient’s gums, bones, and connective tissue are not only damaged but destroyed. Teeth shift or further loosen, and they can eventually fall out if aggressive treatment is not immediately given. Even if the teeth haven’t fallen out, your dentist may remove them to save you a lot of pain and time in the future.

Illustration of denture with gingival receptacle

We're The Dental Team That Treats You, Not Just Your Periodontal Disease

When it comes to your periodontal treatment, Nu Dentistry is on your side from the start. Our dentists and periodontists are experienced and thorough during your dental exams and cleanings. We do our best to catch your gum disease in its earliest stages and stop it in its tracks. It’s our firm belief that dentists should make a trip to the office comfortable and stress-free. We understand that your mouth is especially sensitive right now, and we take great care to be gentle and soothing during your general and deep cleanings.

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GUM DISEASE TREATMENT

WE HELP YOU GET BACK ON TRACK WITH YOUR PERIODONTAL HEALTH

Woman using dental floss
At-home dental care

The number one way to fight periodontal disease, especially in the earliest stage, is to establish a good, healthy oral hygiene routine. Flossing once and brushing your teeth at least twice a day are critical to clearing your teeth of plaque and bacteria and keeping them from building up again. You may also want to look into a toothbrush that works well for you, mainly because having the right brushing technique can change the effectiveness of your strokes.

Patient being checked by dentist
Deep cleaning

A procedure also called scaling and root planing. This procedure goes a bit deeper than your standard cleaning by scraping away the plaque buildup beneath the gums and smooths the teeth to prevent bacteria from forming again later. This treatment can be performed for your whole mouth or any of the four quadrants (upper right, upper left, lower right, lower left.)

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Bone and tissue grafting

In the worst stages, gum disease can cause gums and bones to deteriorate. When this happens, your dentist may need to perform a graft to replace and repair what’s missing. Grafting helps keep teeth secured and supported in your mouth and can be the deciding factor between you and loose or fallen teeth.

Patient being checked by dentist
Pocket Reduction

A deep cleaning can clear up the bacteria and plaque that have formed, but it can’t stop more from burrowing their way under your gum line. Gum pockets can be so deep that keeping them clean becomes increasingly difficult or seemingly impossible. If this is the case, your periodontist may recommend you receive a pocket reduction. This treatment involves removing the infected tissue and allows the gums to try reattaching themselves to the teeth.

Emergency Related:

Woman in pain due to dental discomfort and potential emergency
Dental Emergency

Excruciating dental pain? Broken tooth? dental accident? These are just a few reasons why you might need an emergency dentist. Once you start experiencing the symptoms, you need to visit a qualified dentist as soon as possible. Quick access to a qualified dentist will improve outcomes and could possibly help you save your tooth.

Learn More
Woman checking her gum line in mirror looking for decay
Tooth Extraction

The thought of getting your tooth pulled is not pleasant for many. With the right dental team, the process is not only quick and painless, but you'll be able to get restorative treatment options as soon as possible to reduce any potential bone loss. At Nu Dentistry, your oral health is our priority. Visit us for the best tooth extraction services in the Houston area.

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Hopeful root canal patient in dental chair
Root Canal

A root canal is a dental procedure performed to repair and save a damaged tooth. It is used to eliminate bacteria from the infected tooth and prevent future reinfection. A root canal procedure is a serious dental procedure. However, it isn't any more painful than other dental procedures - especially when performed by a great dental team.

Learn More

// Dental FAQ Houston, TX

Gum Disease Questions

Gingivitis can go away, both through deep dental cleanings and excellent dental hygiene. Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease. It’s early enough in the process that cleaning your teeth and gums properly and allowing them to heal is possible. However, more advanced stages of periodontal disease can only be managed, not completely cured.

While Listerine and other mouthwashes can help fight gingivitis, they’re not a cure-all. The best way to cure gingivitis is to practice all-around good dental hygiene habits. This means that in addition to using mouthwash, you should also be making sure to floss once and brush your teeth twice daily.

Not at all! Using a local anesthetic, your periodontist will make sure that your teeth and gums are fully numb throughout your deep cleaning. If you’re at all nervous about your treatment, our office also offers a selection of sedation options to soothe your dental anxiety.

While you can’t die directly from periodontal disease, there is a significant link between gum disease and other serious health problems. At its worst, bacteria and infection can enter your bloodstream and spread to the rest of your body. Patients with periodontal disease have an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, and breast cancer.

If you notice that your gums bleed easily while brushing or flossing, your teeth feel loose, or you experience pain while eating, you may have gum disease. Other signs include painful swollen gums, changes in your bite, bad breath that stays after brushing your teeth, and sensitivity to hot and cold.

Many factors determine the length between your deep cleaning visits. Your dentist will tell you how often you need to come into the office to maintain excellent periodontal health. Because gum disease has different stages, you may require deep cleaning treatments as often as every three months. At Nu Dentistry, we want to make sure that your gums are at their best, and making sure that your oral health doesn’t slide from missing your deep cleaning appointments is critical.

// NU DENTISTRY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS

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// Top Dentist, Houston, TX

Patient Stories

Check out what our patients are saying in Houston, TX

Alexandra Jansen
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Never Thought I'd Say It
Alexandra Jansen

I never thought I’d say it, but going to the dentist is actually fun now. I recently came in for a root canal, and I got to sit back and catch up on Stranger Things without any pain!

Johnathan Smits
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Anxiety Has Kept Me Away
Johnathan Smits

I usually have such huge anxiety when I go to a dentist appointment, which means I always put off visits until the last minute to disastrous consequences. However, Dr. Loggins helped me with sedation, so the entire process was a breeze!

Sandra Archuleta
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The Best Dentist In Houston
Sandra Archuleta

We have been looking for a family dentist for a long time. Not too long ago we met Dr. Ali. Not only was he professional, kind, and gentle, but he always finds a way to fit us in when we need an appointment. He’s also pretty funny! I appreciate that he takes the time to explain what he’s doing, before he does it. That really puts me at ease.

Anthony Fernandez
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Part Of The Family
Anthony Fernandez

When I come in for an exam, Dr. Alrajab makes me feel like I’m a part of his family. I haven’t had a single cavity or filling done since I started coming here, which is a real change from my last hygienist.

Alexandra Jansen
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Never Thought I'd Say It
Alexandra Jansen

I never thought I’d say it, but going to the dentist is actually fun now. I recently came in for a root canal, and I got to sit back and catch up on Stranger Things without any pain!

Johnathan Smits
testimonial__startestimonial__startestimonial__startestimonial__startestimonial__star
Anxiety Has Kept Me Away
Johnathan Smits

I usually have such huge anxiety when I go to a dentist appointment, which means I always put off visits until the last minute to disastrous consequences. However, Dr. Loggins helped me with sedation, so the entire process was a breeze!

Professional Affiliations

We are proud members of these dental organizations and accreditations

GHDS
GHSP
TDA
Perio
AGD
ADA
AGD
SWSP

// Houston, TX Premier Dentistry

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