Asheville patients enjoy quality care from a team skilled in periodontics

Hearing the dentist say you have gum disease can be frightening. We find that many patients are confused or embarrassed, because they thought their home oral hygiene was sufficient. The truth is gum disease is quite common, and since it has very few symptoms in the early stages, some people never even know they have gum disease.

Gum disease can be diagnosed at several different stages. The first stage is gingivitis. Patients with gingivitis may notice gums that bleed while brushing or flossing, chronic bad breath, inflammation, or redness of the gums. In most cases, gingivitis treatment is easy and straightforward. A combination of professional teeth cleanings along with extra care at home can clear up gingivitis and restore oral health.

If gingivitis is not treated, a patient may develop periodontitis, an advanced form of gum disease. With periodontitis, the gums begin to separate from the teeth, leaving pockets that can become infected with bacteria. Once a patient has periodontitis, treatment from a skilled dentist is required to prevent serious damage such as tooth loss.

A professional deep cleaning known as scaling and root planing will be done to remove plaque and bacteria from the pockets along the gum line. Once this is complete, patients may be prescribed antibiotics and mouthwashes to eliminate any infection. For severe cases of periodontal disease, patients may need surgical intervention. Dr. Port will go over your options with you during your evaluation.

At Family Dental Health of South Asheville, Dr. Port and his team are highly skilled in periodontics. When patients are faced with periodontal disease, we have the treatment options to get you back on the road to health. If you have been recently diagnosed with gum disease and would like to learn more about our services, please call us today at to schedule a consultation.