Our Services
Advanced Dental Hygiene:
Gum Disease

Why are healthy gums so important?
Without your gums to hold your teeth in place, your smile would be nonexistent. Healthy gums are the first step to complete oral health, and are most often the place where we start any dental treatment with our new patients.

Today, more people lose teeth from periodontal disease than cavities. We want any restorative treatment placed in your mouth to last, and healthy gums are critical for that to happen.

The bacteria that causes periodontal disease is also increasingly linked to serious health problems such as heart disease, circulatory problems and premature and low birth-weight babies. As you can see, our concerns are for your overall health, not just your teeth.

How prevalent is periodontal disease?
Over 85% of the population has some level of periodontal or gum disease at one point in their lives. How can so many people suffer from this problem? Easy. Often it is misdiagnosed or simply ignored. At our office, we use advanced training and technology to diagnose and treat periodontal disease before it becomes a major threat to your health.

What are the symptoms of periodontal disease?
Often there are no symptoms at all until it’s too late. Gums can recede, leaving teeth vulnerable to decay, abscesses, and tooth loss all without any bleeding or tenderness. However, many people at least have minor symptoms, which can include the following:

• Bleeding when brushing or flossing
• Puffiness or tenderness of the gums
• Halitosis (bad breath)
• Loose-feeling teeth

What advanced methods do you use to treat periodontal disease?
A variety of new technologies, such as ultrasonic scalers, make the treatment of this disease more thorough and comfortable than ever before. Antibiotics can be applied directly to the gums to help kill the bacteria that cause the disease. In short, this disease is treatable, even at an advanced stage, to help you retain your teeth and improve your overall health.

To help promote healthy gums, Dr. Caughey recommends the use of a specially designed electric toothbrush. We can demonstrate this brush at your next visit, or you can research it here.