Gum disease is one of the most common threats to long-term oral health — and it often develops quietly. Left unchecked, inflammation that begins at the gumline can erode the tissues that anchor your teeth and change how your smile looks, feels, and functions. At the office of Brian Howe DDS, Family Dentistry, we focus on early detection and proven treatments that protect your smile while minimizing discomfort and disruption to your life.
Periodontal disease starts when bacteria in dental plaque and hardened tartar irritate the gums. That irritation triggers an immune response that, over time, damages the soft tissues and bone that support your teeth. In many cases the early stages are painless, so people can have active disease without obvious symptoms.
The process is driven by biofilm — a sticky colony of bacteria that adheres to tooth surfaces and below the gumline. When daily brushing and flossing don’t reach these areas, inflammation takes hold. Regular professional checks and cleanings give your dental team the chance to remove hidden buildup before it causes lasting harm.
Recognizing the warning signs is an important part of prevention. Many of the most common symptoms are visible or easy to notice during routine care, and acting early makes treatment simpler and more predictable.
Common signs that should prompt a dental visit:
Red, swollen, or tender gums
Gums that bleed during brushing or flossing
Gum recession or exposed tooth roots
Increased tooth sensitivity to hot or cold
Persistent bad breath or a lingering unpleasant taste
Loose teeth, shifting teeth, or new spaces forming
Discharge near the gumline or discomfort when chewing
Gum health is closely linked to your overall well-being. Chronic inflammation in the mouth can affect daily comfort and nutrition, and research continues to explore connections between periodontal disease and systemic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular concerns. Caring for your gums supports a better quality of life.
Prevention is easier and more effective than repair. Routine cleanings, consistent home care, and early interventions reduce the likelihood of needing more invasive procedures later. Practicing good oral hygiene also helps control the bacterial load that initiates inflammation and tissue breakdown.
Our approach emphasizes patient education and collaborative care. We work with every patient to create a realistic, sustainable plan for at-home care and professional maintenance that fits their lifestyle — because consistent, small changes often produce the biggest long-term benefits.
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease and is characterized primarily by inflammation of the gum tissue without irreversible loss of bone. Although it can look alarming — red, tender, or bleeding gums — gingivitis is highly treatable when identified promptly.
Treatment for gingivitis focuses on removing the irritants that fuel inflammation. Professional hygiene visits paired with improved brushing and interdental cleaning frequently bring the tissues back to a healthy state. Reversal is possible because the supporting structures beneath the gums remain intact at this stage.
Success depends on partnership. We’ll show you practical ways to improve plaque removal at home and schedule the follow-up care needed to confirm the tissues are healing. When patients commit to those steps, progression to more serious disease is often avoidable.
If gingivitis is not addressed, it can evolve into periodontitis, a destructive stage in which the connective tissue and underlying bone are affected. As the disease progresses, pockets form between the tooth and gum, supporting structures weaken, and tooth stability can be compromised.
Periodontitis is classified by stage and severity, and the treatment goal is to stop tissue destruction and restore a healthy environment around the teeth when possible. Because bone and soft tissue loss may occur, treatment can include approaches to regenerate lost structure or to create a stable foundation for long-term oral health.
Addressing periodontitis early improves outcomes. The sooner the inflammation and bacterial burden are controlled, the better the chances of preserving natural teeth and avoiding more complex interventions down the road.
Decisions about treatment depend on how far the disease has advanced, the depth of periodontal pockets, and your overall health. After a thorough evaluation, your dental team will outline options intended to stop disease activity and support healing. We emphasize minimally invasive methods when they are appropriate and reserve surgical procedures for cases that require direct access to the root surfaces and bone.
Treatment approaches generally fall into several categories tailored to each patient’s needs. Your care plan may include improved daily oral hygiene, more frequent professional maintenance, targeted antimicrobial therapy, or procedures to reduce pocket depth and restore damaged tissues.
We welcome questions and take time to explain the rationale behind each recommendation so you can make informed decisions about your care.
When disease is identified early or is limited in extent, nonsurgical therapy is the first line of treatment. Scaling and root planing — a careful cleaning of tooth roots below the gumline — removes plaque and hardened deposits that nourish bacteria and sustain inflammation.
These procedures are often combined with improved home care habits and more frequent professional visits. In some cases, antimicrobial agents placed locally or prescribed systemically are used as adjuncts to help reduce the bacterial population while tissues recover.
For many patients, this conservative approach restores healthy gum contours and pocket depths, allowing them to maintain natural teeth with regular maintenance.
Advanced periodontal disease may require surgical intervention to thoroughly clean root surfaces, reduce pocket depth, and repair or regenerate damaged tissues. Flap surgery, for example, temporarily repositions the gum to access root surfaces and bone for precise debridement and reshaping.
When appropriate, regenerative procedures such as bone or soft-tissue grafting can rebuild lost structure and improve long-term support. Modern adjuncts, including laser therapy in select situations, may assist with tissue management and pocket reduction.
The goal of surgical care is to create an environment that supports effective oral hygiene and long-term stability so patients can maintain function, comfort, and appearance.
Successful periodontal care doesn’t end once therapy is complete. Periodontal maintenance — a personalized schedule of professional cleanings and examinations — is essential for monitoring pocket depths, controlling bacterial levels, and catching any recurrence early.
At-home habits also matter: consistent brushing, effective interdental cleaning, and attention to risk factors such as tobacco use or uncontrolled medical conditions make a measurable difference. Your dental team will tailor maintenance intervals and hygiene recommendations to your specific needs.
Whether you’re managing early inflammation or recovering from more advanced treatment, the combination of professional care and daily attention provides the best foundation for a healthy, lasting smile. The team at Brian Howe DDS, Family Dentistry is committed to guiding you through each step and creating a care plan that fits your life.
If you have questions about periodontal disease or would like to learn more about how we care for gum health, please contact us for additional information. We’re here to help you protect your smile and maintain oral health for years to come.
Gum disease begins when oral bacteria collect in dental plaque and form a sticky biofilm that adheres to tooth surfaces and the gumline. This bacterial presence irritates the gums and triggers an immune response that, over time, can damage soft tissue and the bone that supports teeth. When daily brushing and flossing fail to remove this buildup, inflammation can progress without obvious pain.
Regular professional examinations and cleanings allow clinicians to remove hidden deposits before they cause lasting harm and to identify early signs of disease. Identifying and addressing risk factors such as tobacco use, certain medications, or uncontrolled medical conditions improves the chance of preventing progression. Early detection keeps treatment simpler and more predictable.
Common signs include red, swollen, or tender gums that bleed during brushing or flossing, gum recession that exposes tooth roots, and increased sensitivity to hot or cold. Patients may also notice persistent bad breath, a lingering unpleasant taste, loose or shifting teeth, or new spaces forming between teeth. In some cases there can be discharge near the gumline or discomfort when chewing.
Because early stages can be painless, patients should not rely solely on symptoms before seeking care; routine dental visits are essential for detecting hidden problems. Noticing any of these signs should prompt a professional evaluation so treatment can begin before more significant damage occurs. Timely intervention often preserves natural teeth and simplifies follow-up care.
Gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease and is characterized by inflammation of the gum tissue without irreversible bone loss, which makes reversal possible in most cases. Treatment focuses on removing the irritants that fuel inflammation through a professional hygiene visit and improved home care, including effective brushing and interdental cleaning. When these steps are combined, the gum tissue often returns to a healthy state.
Success depends on consistent daily habits and follow-up assessments to confirm healing, so clinicians typically schedule a re-evaluation after initial therapy. Your dental team will demonstrate practical techniques to improve plaque removal and recommend an appropriate professional maintenance interval. Addressing lifestyle factors and medical contributors also supports long-term recovery.
Non-surgical periodontal therapy centers on careful cleaning of tooth roots below the gumline to remove plaque and hardened deposits, commonly called scaling and root planing. This deep-cleaning approach reduces bacterial load, smooths the root surface to discourage further accumulation, and allows inflamed tissues to begin healing. The procedure is often performed under local anesthesia for patient comfort and may be done over multiple visits depending on the extent of disease.
Treatments are frequently combined with improved daily oral hygiene and more frequent professional maintenance to sustain results. In selected cases, clinicians may use local antimicrobial agents or recommend systemic medications as adjuncts. Follow-up evaluations measure pocket depths and tissue response to determine whether additional therapy is needed.
Surgical intervention is considered when non-surgical methods cannot adequately control pocket depth, when there is significant bone or soft tissue loss, or when access to root surfaces is limited. Procedures such as flap surgery temporarily reposition the gum to provide direct access for thorough debridement and to reshape bone for improved long-term maintenance. In other cases, regenerative techniques like bone or soft-tissue grafting aim to rebuild lost structure and restore support around affected teeth.
Surgical care is planned to create an environment that supports effective oral hygiene and durable stability, and modern adjuncts such as laser therapy may be used selectively to assist with tissue management. Recovery typically involves a period of careful home care, temporary dietary adjustments, and scheduled follow-ups to monitor healing. Your clinician will explain expected healing timelines and post-operative instructions tailored to the chosen procedure.
Periodontitis is classified by stage and grade based on clinical findings such as pocket depth, the amount of clinical attachment and bone loss, and the rate of disease progression. Staging helps clinicians describe the current severity and extent of tissue destruction, while grading can indicate the likely future rate of progression and potential risk factors. Together these assessments provide a structured framework for diagnosis and treatment planning.
Accurate staging guides the selection of appropriate therapies, from conservative nonsurgical management to more advanced surgical or regenerative approaches for severe cases. It also helps set realistic goals and allows clinicians to monitor response to treatment over time. Early-stage disease typically responds well to less invasive measures, underscoring the value of prompt evaluation.
Research has identified associations between periodontal disease and systemic health conditions, including diabetes and certain cardiovascular concerns, likely related to the effects of chronic oral inflammation on the body. While associations do not prove direct causation, managing inflammation in the mouth reduces the overall bacterial burden and can improve comfort, nutrition, and daily function. Effective periodontal care is therefore an important part of comprehensive health management.
Patients with chronic medical conditions should inform their dental team so treatment can be coordinated with medical providers when appropriate. Controlling systemic risk factors such as blood glucose levels and tobacco use complements periodontal therapy and supports better outcomes. Clear communication between clinicians and patients helps align dental care with overall health goals.
Periodontal maintenance is a personalized schedule of professional cleanings and examinations designed to monitor pocket depths, control bacterial levels, and catch recurrence early. Maintenance visits typically include periodontal probing, careful removal of plaque and calculus above and below the gumline, and an assessment of any changes in mobility or attachment. These appointments are more frequent than routine cleanings for patients who have had active disease.
Home care remains an essential complement to in-office maintenance, with emphasis on effective brushing, interdental cleaning, and management of risk factors such as smoking. Your clinician will adjust maintenance intervals and hygiene recommendations based on clinical findings and your response to therapy. Consistent maintenance is the best strategy for preserving treatment results and maintaining long-term oral health.
Preparation begins with a comprehensive evaluation that includes medical history, current medications, and diagnostic imaging or charting to document pocket depths and bone levels. Patients should inform the dental team about any systemic conditions, recent surgeries, or medications that affect bleeding or immune response so care can be planned safely. Where appropriate, pre-treatment instructions may include special oral hygiene measures to reduce bacterial load prior to therapy.
For procedures involving local anesthesia or sedation, patients may receive specific guidelines about eating, drinking, and transportation after the appointment. Clinicians will explain what to expect during and after treatment, including normal healing sensations and warning signs that should prompt a follow-up. Clear preoperative communication helps ensure a smoother treatment experience and safer recovery.
A referral to a periodontist is often appropriate for cases that involve advanced bone loss, complex regenerative needs, persistent disease despite thorough nonsurgical therapy, or when specialized surgical techniques are indicated. Periodontists have focused training in managing severe periodontal conditions and performing procedures such as bone grafting, soft-tissue grafting, and implant-related surgeries. Seeking specialist care can improve the chances of saving natural teeth and restoring a stable foundation for oral health.
If you have progressive attachment loss, unusual tooth mobility, or recurrent infection after initial treatment, discuss a referral with your dentist so you can consider all appropriate options. The team at Brian Howe DDS, Family Dentistry can coordinate referrals and collaborate with specialists to ensure continuity of care and a comprehensive approach to managing complex cases. Timely evaluation helps determine the most appropriate pathway for long-term stability.
Our friendly and knowledgeable team is always ready to assist you. You can reach us by phone at (740) 393-2161 or by using the convenient contact form below. If you submit the form, a member of our staff will respond within 24–48 hours.
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