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Carlsbad Periodontal Care

Make Gum Disease Something of the past

Gum disease is a common condition that affects your oral and overall health. If left untreated, the bacterial infection from gum disease might spread into your bloodstream, causing severe complications. Gum disease happens to be a chronic condition that worsens with time, so you must seek treatment the moment you notice the first signs. At Carlsbad Beach Dental, Drew Addy DDS, we identify and treat gum disease at the earliest stage possible.

To learn more about periodontal care, please contact Carlsbad Beach Dental, Drew Addy DDS, at (760) 729-5881 or schedule an appointment online today.

What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal (gum) disease is a bacterial infection of the gums, usually caused by poor oral hygiene habits or inadequate dental cleanings. The bacteria in our mouths often clump together into a sticky white substance called plaque, which eventually hardens into tartar. You can remove the plaque with regular brushing and flossing, but not the tartar. You need regular dental cleanings to remove all the accumulated plaque and tartar.

Why should you treat it?

If you avoid dental cleanings and maintain poor oral hygiene, the accumulated plaque and tartar eventually start eating away your dental structures and gums. They may gather around the gums and increase the pockets of space between the gums and teeth, leading to gum recession. Over time, the inflammation of the gum tissues leads to periodontal disease, starting with gingivitis and then progressing to periodontitis.

Poor oral hygiene and lack of dental cleanings are the most common causes of periodontal disease. However, the risk of periodontal disease also increases because of other factors, such as smoking, diabetes, hormonal changes in women, pregnancy, AIDS, genetic predisposition, and the use of certain medications. You can avoid periodontal disease through regular dental cleanings — Dr. Addy recommends regular cleanings and dental checkups to maintain optimal oral health.

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“I was referred here by someone in my pilates class. I love going here. The atmosphere is always inviting and my oral hygienist is so gentle and caring during teeth and gum cleanings! Great place!”

When Do I Need Periodontal Care?

If you don’t treat gum disease at an early stage, the bacteria can eventually spread to the surrounding dental structures. It starts eating away your tooth roots to expose the underlying bone structure, leading to advanced periodontal disease (periodontitis). At this stage, gum disease can be extremely dangerous because the infection may spread to your bloodstream, increasing your risk of heart disease, diabetes, strokes, and other complications.

As such, you need periodontal care the moment you notice the first signs and symptoms of gum disease, such as:

Persistent bad breath due to bacterial accumulation
Red, swollen, or inflamed gums
Extremely tender gums that bleed easily
Bleeding gums
Painful sensations while chewing
Loose teeth due to gum recession
Toothaches and sensitivity
Longer-appearing teeth due to gum recession

Periodontal Care Diagnosis

Dr. Addy firmly believes that prevention is better than cure. That’s why he recommends regular dental checkups and cleanings — he helps you maintain optimal oral health to avoid periodontal disease altogether. He also looks for the smallest signs of gum disease or infection to treat the issue before it can worsen. The diagnosis of gum disease is a combination of visual inspection and digital X-rays.

During the visual inspection, the dentist examines the pockets of space between your gums and teeth, checks the amount of accumulated plaque and tartar, probes the gum to see how easily they bleed and identifies loose teeth. He also takes digital X-rays of your mouth to look for signs of jawbone loss or damage, which would indicate advanced periodontitis. He creates a treatment plan accordingly.

Periodontal Care: Treatment Options

Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing, also known as deep dental cleaning, is the best treatment option for the early stages of gum disease. The dentist uses a special tool called a scaler to remove all the accumulated plaque and tartar from the teeth and the gum line. The dentist removes all the plaque and tartar in the pockets of space between your gums and teeth.

Dr. Addy also smoothens the surface of the roots and eliminates all the debris and bacteria. Root planing allows your gums to heal around the teeth, restoring optimal oral health. After the plaque, tartar, and bacteria are removed, the dentist might place antibiotic fibers into the pockets formed by the bacteria. This ensures the bacterial infection dies down for good.

Laser Treatment
We also use a gentle soft tissue laser to treat early periodontitis and restore optimal oral health. Dr. Addy uses the latest therapy to remove all the inflamed and infected gum tissues around the teeth. Once the infected tissues are removed, the dentist smoothens the roots of the affected teeth to facilitate gum healing. Over time, the gums heal and tighten around the affected teeth, restoring optimal oral health.

In rare cases, if you’ve been neglecting periodontal care for extended periods, the gum disease may have advanced enough to make the previous methods inadequate. In those extreme and rare cases, you might need surgical intervention to preserve or restore your oral health. That’s why you must contact Dr. Addy at Carlsbad Beach Dental, Drew Addy DDS, whenever you notice the first signs of gum disease.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the early warning signs that I might need periodontal care?

Early signs of periodontal issues often begin subtly. You might notice gums that bleed while brushing or flossing, one of the most common and overlooked indicators. Persistent bad breath, tenderness along the gum line, or a change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite can also signal the onset of gum disease.

Receding gums, which make your teeth appear longer, or gums that are red, swollen, or feel sore, may indicate that gum inflammation is becoming more advanced. At Carlsbad Beach Dental, Dr. Drew Addy takes a thoughtful, proactive approach to monitoring gum health.

Because periodontal disease can progress without causing pain in its early stages, regular checkups are essential. Through advanced diagnostic techniques and personalized evaluations, patients receive care that not only prevents disease from developing further, but also supports their long-term oral health.

How does scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) treat gum disease?

Scaling and root planing is often the first line of defense in nonsurgical periodontal care. This deep-cleaning technique removes plaque and hardened tartar from beneath the gum line, where a regular toothbrush can’t reach. Once plaque and bacteria are eliminated through scaling, the root planing process smooths the surfaces of tooth roots to discourage future bacterial buildup and encourage the gums to reattach to the teeth.

Dr. Addy and his team at Carlsbad Beach Dental utilize advanced diagnostic imaging and digital assessments to guide your treatment. This ensures the deep cleaning is highly targeted, thorough, and comfortable. With a gentle, precision-focused approach, your deep cleaning becomes more than just a routine procedure, it becomes a turning point in your oral health journey.

What are the benefits of using laser treatment for gum disease at Carlsbad Beach Dental?

Laser therapy is a modern advancement in periodontal care that allows for highly effective treatment with minimal discomfort. Using dental lasers, Dr. Addy can precisely target and remove diseased tissue while conserving healthy gums. This technique also sterilizes the area, significantly reducing bacteria and promoting faster tissue regeneration. Unlike traditional surgeries, laser treatment causes less bleeding, less swelling, and a quicker recovery time.

In keeping with the high standards of care at Carlsbad Beach Dental, our laser periodontal therapy reflects our commitment to using advanced technologies for your comfort and wellness. Patients often describe the experience as more pleasant than expected, part of the studio-like atmosphere that defines our luxury dental care in Carlsbad.

How does Dr. Addy diagnose the severity of periodontal disease?

Accurate diagnosis is the foundation of Dr. Addy’s periodontal treatment planning. During your evaluation, he conducts a comprehensive periodontal assessment, which includes measuring pocket depths around each tooth, reviewing digital X-rays for bone loss, and evaluating gum condition. These measurements help determine whether the periodontal disease is gingivitis (early stage) or more advanced periodontitis that may require targeted intervention.

What sets Carlsbad Beach Dental apart is the great care taken in explaining each step of the process, with unmatched attention to patient comfort and education. Using digital imaging and intraoral cameras, Dr. Addy helps you understand what’s happening below the surface.

This transparent and collaborative diagnostic journey empowers you to make confident, informed decisions about your health. His extensive background as a Kois-trained cosmetic and restorative expert brings a level of technical insight to even the most complex cases, ensuring that your periodontal care supports both function and aesthetics.

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