Gum disease is the leading reason adults lose teeth, yet it often develops quietly and can be prevented or controlled when caught early. Nearly half of adults over 30 show signs of periodontal problems, underscoring the importance of regular dental care and thoughtful home hygiene. At the office of Edward J. Sharkey, DMD, we provide thorough assessments and a full range of periodontal services designed to protect the tissues that support your smile.
Periodontal disease is not a single condition but a spectrum of inflammatory disorders that affect the gums, ligaments, and bone that hold teeth in place. The process usually begins with plaque—an invisible film of bacteria that accumulates on tooth surfaces—and, if allowed to harden into calculus (tartar), it irritates the tissues and triggers a sustained immune response.
Because early stages of periodontal disease can be subtle, many people don’t notice problems until tissue damage has occurred. Regular dental exams and periodontal charting allow clinicians to identify areas of concern before signs become obvious, and to tailor preventive measures for each patient’s needs.
Prevention and early intervention focus on disrupting the bacterial biofilm and calming the inflammatory response. Professional cleanings, improved brushing and flossing techniques, and targeted home care products are foundational steps to stop progression and preserve the health of the periodontium.
Periodontal disease can be detected by a range of symptoms, but many of them are easy to miss. Paying attention to subtle changes in your gums and bite gives you an advantage: catching the problem early often means simpler, more predictable care and better long-term outcomes for your teeth.
Keep an eye out for persistent redness, swelling, or bleeding during brushing and flossing. Increased tooth sensitivity, loosening teeth, a change in how your bite feels, or chronic bad breath are also signals that underlying periodontal inflammation may be present and should be evaluated by a dental professional.
When combined with a clinical exam, a conversation about your health history, medications, and lifestyle factors helps your care team determine risk and urgency. Smoking, uncontrolled diabetes, and certain medications can increase vulnerability to gum disease and influence your treatment plan.
Gingivitis is the reversible stage of gum disease characterized primarily by inflammation of the gum tissue without loss of bone or connective tissue support. It often reveals itself through redness, tenderness, and bleeding, and while it may feel minor, it signals that plaque control needs to be improved.
The upside of catching gingivitis early is that conservative measures typically restore healthy tissue. Professional removal of plaque and calculus combined with a focused home-care routine—proper brushing, interdental cleaning, and, where appropriate, antimicrobial mouth rinses—can resolve the inflammation and return gums to health.
Monitoring and follow-up are important because untreated gingivitis can progress. A graduated maintenance schedule tailored to your response to therapy helps ensure early improvements are sustained and reduces the chance of recurring problems.
If gingivitis is not controlled, the condition can evolve into periodontitis—an advanced stage where the inflammation leads to destruction of the connective tissues and bone that support teeth. Clinically, this is reflected by deeper pockets between gum and tooth, gum recession, and potential movement of teeth.
Periodontitis varies in severity and can progress in episodes. The primary treatment goal is to arrest tissue loss and stabilize the dentition. That process often requires a combination of mechanical cleaning below the gumline, microbial control, and in some cases, procedures to repair or regenerate lost tissue.
Accurate diagnosis includes measuring pocket depths, assessing bleeding on probing, evaluating bone levels with imaging, and reviewing systemic health influences. With a comprehensive assessment, your dental team can create a plan that prioritizes long-term function and appearance.
Today’s periodontal care blends time-tested techniques with contemporary options that improve comfort and predictability. Non-surgical therapies remain the first line of defense for most cases: precise scaling and root planing removes subgingival plaque and tartar while smoothing root surfaces to discourage bacterial recolonization.
In addition to mechanical therapy, adjunctive measures—such as localized antimicrobial delivery, systemic antibiotics when indicated, and carefully selected oral hygiene products—can help reduce bacterial load and support tissue healing. Tailoring adjuncts to the individual’s health profile enhances outcomes without unnecessary intervention.
For patients who require more advanced correction, regenerative procedures and grafting techniques are designed to rebuild lost bone and soft tissue when feasible. These interventions aim not only to restore support but also to improve long-term stability and the appearance of the gums.
Selecting an appropriate treatment plan begins with a full periodontal evaluation that considers disease extent, tissue response, and the patient’s overall health and goals. The clinician balances the least invasive, most effective options first while keeping lines of communication open so patients understand their role in maintaining results.
When deeper pockets or persistent infection remain after initial therapy, surgical access may be recommended to thoroughly clean root surfaces and reshape tissues for improved hygiene. Advances such as minimally invasive flap techniques and judicious use of lasers can enhance precision and healing in suitable cases.
After active treatment, a personalized maintenance schedule—typically with more frequent professional cleanings and periodic reassessments—is essential to preserve gains. Long-term success depends on ongoing partnership between the patient and their dental team.
When disease is identified early or localized, non-surgical care is often effective. This includes targeted cleaning below the gumline (scaling and root planing), improved home care instruction, and, when appropriate, localized antimicrobial therapy to help reduce pathogenic bacteria and promote healing.
These approaches prioritize tissue preservation and are aligned with professional guidelines that recommend the least invasive, evidence-based methods first. For many patients, consistent follow-up and improved daily oral hygiene are enough to regain and maintain healthy gums.
Should non-surgical measures fall short, the treatment plan can step up to include surgical or regenerative options designed to address deeper structural issues while still focusing on long-term function.
When pockets are too deep for thorough cleaning or when structural repair is needed, surgical procedures provide direct access to infected areas, allowing for comprehensive debridement and tissue modification. Flap surgery and related techniques help reduce pocket depth and facilitate healing.
Regenerative treatments—including bone grafts and guided tissue regeneration—aim to rebuild supporting structures when conditions are favorable. These procedures can improve stability and create a healthier foundation for long-term oral function.
Modern adjuncts, such as selective laser use, can complement traditional surgery in some cases, helping to reduce bacterial burden or refine soft tissue contours for both health and cosmetic benefit.
Remove harmful bacteria and tartar from beneath the gums and along tooth root surfaces
Stabilize and protect remaining bone while reshaping tissues to support oral hygiene
Reduce pocket depths to make daily cleaning more effective and maintenance visits more productive
With appropriate surgical care followed by a disciplined maintenance program, many patients experience improved function, reduced risk of tooth loss, and better overall oral comfort.
At every stage, our focus is on delivering clear, evidence-informed care that prioritizes your long-term oral health and well-being. The office of Edward J. Sharkey, DMD emphasizes prevention, patient education, and individualized treatment planning to help you keep a healthy, functional smile for years to come.
In summary, periodontal disease ranges from reversible gingivitis to more complex periodontitis that requires comprehensive intervention. Early detection, effective non-surgical care, and targeted surgical or regenerative treatments when needed form the backbone of modern periodontal management. If you would like to learn more about how we approach gum health and what options might be appropriate for you, please contact us for additional information.
Most people don’t realize that periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every two adults over the age of 30 in the United States has periodontal disease.
You may be surprised to learn that the human mouth is home to a wide variety of microbes. The fact is that over 700 different strains of bacteria have been detected in the oral cavity. Although some of these bacteria are beneficial, others are harmful to oral health. Without proper oral hygiene and routine dental care, these harmful bacteria can cause tooth decay and gum disease, compromising both your oral health and overall wellbeing.
In addition to inadequate oral hygiene and infrequent professional care, other factors, including smoking, genetic tendencies, and unchecked diabetes, can contribute to the escalation of periodontal disease.
Your gums and teeth have an interdependent relationship, which means healthy teeth depend on the support of healthy gums. Also, taking care of your smile does more than keep your teeth and gums in optimal condition; good oral health also supports systemic health. In addition to being the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, researchers are finding more and more links between periodontal disease and a number of medical problems, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory problems, and adverse pregnancy outcomes such as pre-term and low birth-weight babies.
If you notice that your gums are bleeding with the slightest pressure while brushing or flossing, it’s a sign of gingivitis. Although gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease, it can easily be reversed with deeper cleanings as well as an improved regimen of oral hygiene at home.
In the absence of professional treatment and better home care, gingivitis progresses to the next stage, which is known as periodontitis. In this stage, the connective tissue and bone that hold the teeth in place begin to break down with an increase in pocketing between the teeth and bone, gum recession, and bone loss. Without proper treatment by your dentist, periodontitis will progress from a mild to moderate loss of supporting tissue to the destruction of the bone around the teeth.
Although gingivitis can often be reversed with improved oral hygiene and professional cleanings, as periodontal disease advances, more extensive procedures are required to halt its progression. Based on a complete assessment of your periodontal health and a review of possible contributing factors, our office will recommend the best options in care. Treatment for periodontitis may include a series of deeper cleanings known as root planing and scaling, surgical procedures to reduce pocket depth, bone or tissue grafts, laser procedures, or antimicrobial medications.
The cost of care depends on the type of procedures required to restore your periodontal health. If you have dental insurance, plans often cover treatment to prevent gum disease as well as many procedures to treat the various stages of gum disease. Our goal is to help patients restore and maintain good oral health. We do all we can to help you begin care without additional stress or delay. Our business office works with you to maximize your benefits and provide easier, more convenient payment options.
By seeing our office regularly for care and doing your best to eat a healthy diet and practice good oral hygiene, you can keep your smile in tip-top shape as well as protect your overall wellbeing.
At the office of Edward J. Sharkey, DMD, we provide a comprehensive range of services to address all your oral healthcare needs. You can rest assured that your smile is in the best of hands at our office. Our skilled and experienced team maintains a position at the forefront of advances in care and remains dedicated to providing the highest quality of skilled and compassionate treatment.
