Periodontal Care

Holt Dental Care is well known in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for diagnosing and treating periodontal disease, commonly known as gum disease. Some 80 percent of adults have some form of dental infection (gingivitis).

There are three stages of gum disease:

• Gingivitis: this is the earliest stage of gum disease, an inflammation of the gums caused by plaque buildup at the gumline. If daily brushing and flossing do not remove the plaque, it produces toxins (poisons) that can irritate the gum tissue causing gingivitis. You may notice some bleeding during brushing and flossing.
• Periodontitis: at this stage, the supporting bone and fibers that hold your teeth into place are irreversibly damaged. Your gums begin to form a pocket below the gumline, which traps food and plaque. The plaque then hardens and forms tarter that must be removed by our dental hygenists. This is a procedure called scaling and root planning. We can quickly and easily remove tarter using ultrasonic devices and lasers. This reduces the amount of hand scaling, pain, and gives you a comfortable deep cleaning. An antibiotic treatment is used in conjunction with periodontal therapy to kill any additional bacteria. We normally place all periodontal patients on a three month recall to control their gum disease.
• Advanced Periodontitis: in this final stage of gum disease, the fibers and bone supporting your teeth are destroyed, which can cause your teeth to shift or loosen. This can affect your bite and if aggressive treatment is not used then the teeth may need to be removed.

We are very effective about controlling gum disease. We have the best, well-trained hygienists with over 25 years of experience combined. They understand how important your teeth are and they are very skillful about giving you a comfortable, thorough cleaning.

Please call our office at 817-488-2273 for a free gum evaluation.