Zelienople Periodontics/
Gum Therapy

woman at her dentist appointment

Improving Health with Gum Treatments

Dr. Mark A. Marion and our dental hygienists at Marion Smile Center in Zelienople, Pennsylvania, provide expert diagnosis and treatment of periodontal (gum) disease. It all starts during your professional dental cleaning in our office. Early diagnosis and treatment can help reverse the course of this disease.

Gum disease begins when an excess of unhealthy bacteria and plaque accumulate in the mouth. For many, a hardened tartar also forms on the teeth. This is removed during regular professional dental cleanings at our office. Without professional dental cleanings and diligent dental hygiene home care, tartar and destructive bacteria can grow and spread below your gums and onto your tooth’s root, increasing your risk for periodontal disease and possible permanent damage to the gums and bone that are holding your teeth in place. For more information, read our blog, An Overview of Gum Disease.

Problems Caused by Untreated Gum Disease

When undetected or untreated, gum disease can result in tooth loss, painful abscessed teeth, and infection of the surrounding bone. In fact, periodontal disease is a leading cause of tooth loss in adults.

Left untreated, gum disease can also have a systemic effect on the body’s organ systems. Periodontal disease has been linked to serious conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, as well as COVID-19 and premature birth.

Risk Factors for Gum Disease

During your dental cleaning appointment at Marion Smile Center, our hygienist will first review your health history with a trained eye in assessing your risk factors for gum disease and do a thorough clinical assessment. These risk factors include:

  • Smoking
  • Tobacco use
  • Aging
  • Family history of periodontal disease
  • Diabetes
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Lung or respiratory diseases
  • Hormonal fluctuations, including pregnancy
  • Certain medications, such as birth control, steroids, anticonvulsants (used in epilepsy), blood pressure medication, and chemotherapy

How Gum Disease Is Detected

Gum disease is diagnosed by multiple assessments. We gently record gum measurements, assess for bleeding gums, and review for bone damage on X-rays and other images.

We use advanced technology to detect destructive bacteria in the gums. New patients often report how astonished they are with the advanced technology we use and the thoroughness of our professional dental cleanings. The assessments we use to detect periodontal disease include:

Stages of Gum Disease

One of our hygienists will assess where you are in this progressive disease.

  • Early Gum Disease (Gingivitis): For patients with mild gingivitis, professional cleanings at least twice per year and improved dental hygiene at home can reverse it. In other cases, we recommend treatment that includes inserting therapeutic antibiotic chips down into the periodontal pockets and/or chemical rinses that are pushed into the pockets under high pressure.
    • Signs of Gingivitis include:
      • Red gums
      • Puffy swollen gums
      • Receding gums
      • Gums are tender to the touch
      • Bleeding while brushing, flossing, or eating hard food
      • Bad breath
  • Advanced Gum Disease (Periodontitis): For our patients with moderate to advanced gum disease, we have various treatment options depending on the severity of the disease. These typically involve two (2) appointments in which one of our hygienists will perform a deep cleaning on half the mouth. Untreated moderate to advanced gingivitis can develop into advanced periodontal disease, a potentially destructive gum infection.
    • Signs of Periodontitis include:
      • Signs of gingivitis (see above)
      • Pain when chewing
      • Sensitivity to hot and cold
      • Receding gums
      • Loose teeth
      • Partial dentures that no longer fit

Treatment of Gum Disease

Based on our findings, a customized treatment plan will be developed to slow or stop the spread of infection in your gums. Periodontal treatments we recommend may include:

    • Gum therapy – a nonsurgical method of removing plaque and tartar from the surface of the tooth and under the gums
    • Numbing agents – gently applied and/or nitrous oxide administered for comfort
    • Antimicrobial irrigation – performed with a special high-pressure instrument to flush out and destroy the bacteria that contribute to gum disease, encouraging a reset of healthy bacteria in your mouth
    • Antibiotics as needed – depending on the results of the saliva DNA test, oral antibiotics are prescribed as needed to help fight the infection; topical antibiotics may be applied directly to sites of advanced infection
    • Take-home supplies – professional dental hygiene homecare equipment and medicinal rinses may be provided
    • Tooth extraction and referral for surgical treatment – this may be necessary in cases of severe, advanced gum disease

Click here to learn more about gum disease.

Regular professional dental cleanings and treatment not only help to ensure your dental health but contributes to the health of your entire body. A major insurance company informed us that Marion Smile Center is one of the top offices in the Pittsburgh area for nonsurgical periodontal (gum) treatments.

“Beautiful smiles are like magnificent trees.”

Dr. Marion uses the analogy of the importance of good soil to strong, healthy trees to help patients understand that healthy gums are the foundation for beautiful, strong, healthy smiles. Without strong healthy roots and good soil in which to grow, a tree will not flourish. Gums are the “soil” of your smile.

Enhancing Smiles After Improving Dental Health

Before you can be considered a good candidate for a variety of cosmetic dental procedures, you will need healthy gums. Below are some of the amazing transformations our patients have achieved. Puffy, swollen, red gums with tartar on the teeth have been transformed into healthy, pink gum tissue and clean teeth.

Your dental health depends on the health of your gums. For top-notch periodontal care and gum therapy, call Marion Smile Center in Zelienople, Pennsylvania, at (724) 452-4300 or request your appointment now.