Gum Disease Screening
Encinitas, CA

A woman with gum disease holding her cheeck at Encinitas Periodontics & Dental Implants in Encinitas, CA

Gum disease is an oral health issue that affects more than just your gums. It can also impact the health of your teeth and their supporting structures as well. When it first begins, however, it does not seem that bad. In fact, many people with the early stages of gum disease might not even know they have it. Untreated, however, gum disease only continues to worsen. It can even affect your body and overall health, contributing to issues such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. At Encinitas Periodontics & Dental Implants, we can help to detect the presence of gum disease and provide you with the treatment you need, with a gum disease screening.

Causes of Gum Disease

There are some different issues that can lead to the development of gum disease. Common causes include:

•	Poor oral hygiene. Even occasionally neglecting your brushing and flossing routine can increase your risk.
•	Poor tooth alignment. Crooked teeth are harder to effectively clean.
•	Cigarettes and other tobacco products. Smoking limits oxygen in your blood and slows blood flow.
•	Alcohol consumption. Excessive alcohol use can lead to dry mouth, which promotes bacterial growth.
•	Certain types of medications, which can also contribute to dry mouth.
•	Nutritional deficiencies.

What Symptoms Can Indicate Gum Disease?

The symptoms you experience will vary depending upon how far gum disease has progressed. Symptoms include:

•	Red, swollen gum tissue. These are the earliest warning signs.
•	Bleeding gums when you brush and floss.
•	Bad breath that just will not go away.
•	Gum recession.
•	Tooth sensitivity.
•	Loose teeth.
•	Tooth loss.

Gum Disease Screening

A gum disease screening allows us to detect the presence of gum disease. Gum disease screenings are performed during every regular dental exam. During the screening, we carefully look over your gum tissues, checking for any signs of redness and swelling. We take a close look at how your gum tissue sits against your teeth. Using a small, specialized tool, we can measure the depths of your periodontal pockets. Pockets less than 3 millimeters are considered to be healthy, while pockets 4 millimeters or deeper are considered unhealthy. The loss of attachment can also indicate that there might be bone loss as well. While looking over your gums, we also look over your teeth as well, to determine the presence of gum recession.
If we do detect gum disease, we can then determine the severity of the condition. In determining the severity, we are then able to create a customized treatment plan to help the tissue heal and restore the health of your mouth.

Treatments for Gum Disease

The treatments we recommend depend upon how advanced your gum disease is. Treatments we may recommend include:

•	scaling and root planing. This is a deep cleaning of all surfaces above and below the gum line.
•	Laser therapy. This treatment uses a dental laser to remove infected tissue and disinfect periodontal pockets.
•	Periodontal Maintenance. Periodontal maintenance involves regularly scheduled visits to check your teeth and gums and clean your teeth to help further your gums healing.
•	Pocket reduction surgery, or a surgical procedure designed to more effectively clean your teeth to reduce the depths of your periodontal pockets.
•	Grafting. Gum grafting is performed to restore a healthy, natural gum line following gum recession. Bone grafting is done to restore missing bone mass. This is often done before the placement of dental implants.

A gum disease screening is essential for the detection and treatment of gum disease, helping to prevent the condition from growing worse and restoring your oral health. For more information, and to schedule your appointment, call Encinitas Periodontics & Dental Implants today at 760-632-9055.

This Doctor is a true healer!

Dr. Bembey is truly a healer. Not one of those Doctors who is in it for the money. You can tell that she loves her job. She actually made it enjoyable, and I don’t normally think of gum surgery as something to enjoy. She is very knowledgeable, and her skills are awesome! She communicates well and tells you small details that really help a lot. And she is there for you if you need her. Most importantly, she saved me from loosing my teeth! This Doctor is a GEM!!! I highly recommend her.

-Lynn V., February 2022

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Encinitas Periodontics & Dental Implants
Dr. Bembey and Dr. Yokoyama
477 North El Camino Real #C-306
Encinitas, CA 92024

Phone: 760-632-9055
Fax: 760-943-0500

Hours:
Monday: 8am - 5pm
Tuesday: 8am - 5pm
Wednesday: 8am - 5pm
Thursday: 8am - 5pm
Friday: Call hours 8am - 12pm*
*Treatment by appointment only

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