Gum health is just as important as tooth health – and it is an integral part of your overall oral health. So when your periodontal (gum) tissue is suffering, you want to do everything possible to save it. Acting quickly is one key to minimizing damage and allowing for a fast reversal.
The second key may be opting for laser periodontal treatment. Laser periodontal treatment uses laser technology to combat each aspect of gum disease.
Here are 7 ways that laser periodontal treatment can counteract the effects of periodontal disease and can help restore your oral health.
1. Eliminates Infected Soft Tissue
Modern hand-held dental laser tools are quite adept at targeting and eliminating bad gum tissue. And the amazing improvement over traditional methods is that lasers do it without cutting away your precious good gum tissue in the process!
The “secret” is that the pulse laser has many different settings and is sensitive to differences in tissue type and condition. Periodontal lasers essentially “burn away” infected periodontal tissue without harming healthy tissue directly adjacent to it.
That’s good news since those suffering from the loss of gum tissue due to periodontal disease can hardly afford to lose any more of their gums during the periodontal treatment.
2. Eradicates Harmful Bacteria
Bad bacteria feeding on dental plaque and tartar attached to your gums is the root cause of all gum disease. Kill the bacteria, and you crush gum disease at its core. Leave bad bacteria in place, and you invite a resurgence.
Laser periodontal treatment is the most effective way to eradicate as much bad bacteria as possible during a periodontal procedure. Laser light literally “zaps” pathogens into non-existence!
Lasers can kill germs on your gums without harming them and on your exposed tooth roots. (Incidentally, lasers can also kill bacteria on any part of your teeth and are sometimes used to clean out a cavity before putting in a filling.)
3. Stimulates Regrowth of Gum Tissue
Another big positive about laser periodontal treatment is its ability to stimulate the regeneration of periodontal tissue. (Additionally, lasers can be used to help stimulate regrowth of the bone tissue supporting your teeth.)
If you have lost significant gum tissue to the ravages of gum disease, your gums need to regrow and recover post-op. It will take some time, and there’s no way around that fact. BUT, lasers can actually stimulate tissue regeneration so that the process gets a boost and gets off to a great start.
4. Cleans Exposed Tooth Roots
When your gums recede due to periodontal disease, your teeth start to “look bigger.” That’s because your tooth roots are now more exposed than normal, making your teeth look longer.
Laser tools can be used to clean off the surface of tooth roots that may be covered with harmful bacteria and/or plaque. They can also be used to help prepare the surface of the tooth-root to adhere to the gums again.
5. Laser Periodontal Treatment Stops The Pain
Those suffering from serious gum disease may be experiencing a lot of pain. Gums may be red, swollen, tender, and hyper-sensitive. Your gums may bleed easily when you brush your teeth or floss, and just chewing food may be a painful experience.
By helping to reverse the effects of gum disease, laser periodontal treatment can correct all of those issues. But also note that laser gum therapy is the most painless way to treat infected gums. It is very non-invasive.
There is minimal pain, bleeding, or swelling of the gums with laser gum surgery as compared to root planing and scaling and other more traditional treatment methods.
6. Helps Prevent Tooth Loss
Gum disease, if ignored and allowed to run its course, will often eventually lead to tooth loss.
It starts with a noticeably receding gum line. Then you begin to experience extreme tooth sensitivity. Next, some teeth may feel loose and hurt when you bite down hard on them. Cavities that lead to a necessary extraction or root canal or teeth simply falling out of the jawbone are the ultimate potential results.
By correcting gum disease early with laser periodontal treatment, you can do much toward saving your teeth!
7. Gets Rid Of Halitosis
Finally, let us mention another common side effect of gum disease – chronically bad breath, which in “dental talk” is referred to as “halitosis.”
Your breath should already be much improved immediately after laser periodontal treatment. When the bad-breath-causing bacteria are gone, your exhaled air is already going to be that much fresher.
To learn more about laser periodontal treatment and how it can combat the ill effects of gum disease, or to schedule an in-office consultation, contact Ormond Beach Periodontics & Implant Dentistry in Central Florida today.