Removal of Gum/Bone Infections

When starches and sugars in food come into contact with normal bacteria in your mouth, they can turn into plaque. If plaque is left untreated, it can harden under the gumline and turn into tartar. This can cause gingivitis (gum inflammation) near the base of your teeth.

Gingivitis can usually be reversed with professional dental treatment and good hygiene (brushing and flossing) at home. If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to pockets between your gums and teeth. This can become a serious deeper infection, periodontitis, that reaches the bone. You could have loose teeth, and possibly tooth loss. In a worst case scenario, this infection can enter the bloodstream and cause problems in other parts of the body.

Some of the symptoms of gum infections can include: swelling and bleeding gums, bad breath that does not go away, receding gums, puss secreting from gums, loose teeth and a change in your bite.

There are several treatment options depending on the severity of the gum infection:

• Antibiotics (pills or shot) are often used to treat gum infections, just like they are used to treat other infections in the body. A dentist will numb your gum, and then give an antibiotic shot directly into the gum.
• A dentist may do an in-depth cleaning between your gums and teeth where infections hide.
• A dentist may also do scaling -- scraping tartar off above and below your gum line -- and root planing -- smoothing the rough surfaces of the roots of your teeth – to help your gums reattach to your teeth.
• For serious cases of infection, gum tissue may need to be surgically removed in what is called a gingivectomy.
• An oral surgeon may need to do flap surgery, which is when gums are pulled back to remove tartar from deep pockets. A few weeks after surgery, the gums should fit tightly around the teeth.
• Sometimes bone grafting is done to treat bone infections. This is a surgical procedure that places new or synthetic bone in the area. A soft tissue graft may also be done. This uses gum tissue from the root of the mouth to cover exposed tooth roots.

If you are experiencing pain due to a gum infection, please do not ignore it. Gum infections can go from bad to worse very quickly. You need to be treated as soon as possible to save your teeth and gums. Contact Dr. Molayem to make an appointment today.