Treating and Preventing Gum Disease with Periodontics in Valparaiso and St. John, Indiana

At Creating Smiles, PC, we are glad to assist our patients with periodontics to treat and prevent gum disease. A majority of Americans will experience gum disease at some point in time, but despite being a common health condition, it can be prevented with proactive, consistent care and routine dental visits. It’s extremely important to brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day to keep plaque from building up and releasing infectious bacteria under the gum line.

If you have tender, swollen gums and have concerns about your oral health, Dr. Kapers and his capable team can provide a minimally invasive deep cleaning and other treatments as needed to alleviate your symptoms and eliminate any existing infection.

If you have sore gums and you’re not sure why, contact us today so we can help.

Make an Appointment

Or call our St. John office at (219) 322-9920
or our Valpo office at (219) 462-1970

periodontics in st. john and valparaiso, in

Common Signs of Gum Disease

Gum disease in its earliest stage might not yield any noticeable clinical signs, which could allow it to develop further and become a bigger problem. If you’re experiencing any of the following, get in touch with us so we can help:

  • Ongoing oral pain
  • Sore, swollen gums
  • Bleeding gums
  • Gum recession
  • Persistent bad breath
  • Sores in your mouth
woman getting dental work done

Treatments We Provide

In order to monitor the condition of the gums, Dr. Kapers recommends having an evaluation every 3 months as part of his soft-tissue management program. Frequent visits are necessary, as gum disease at a more advanced stage can destroy not only the soft tissues around the teeth, but the tooth roots and underlying bone as well, and this can result in the total loss of the tooth.

We perform scaling and root planing to help treat gum disease, as it allows us to successfully remove all traces of plaque and tartar buildup and bacteria from above and below the gum line. These procedures also shrink the infected periodontal pockets around the teeth. Because disease-causing bacteria multiply and spread so rapidly, it’s essential to maintain good hygiene practices at home and visit with your dentist regularly for checkups and teeth cleanings.

Patients with advanced gum disease usually have deep pockets of bacteria along the gum line. These pockets are difficult to clean, and can raise your chances of getting reinfected following treatment.

To treat these pockets and prevent reinfection, we apply a topical antibiotic to the gums. Over the course of several days, the antibiotic will absorb deep under the gum line, eliminate any existing bacteria, and decrease the size of the pockets.