New Patients: 302-527-6211
Existing Patients: 302-514-6200
17 N. Main Street, Smyrna, DE 19977

Open During Renovations

Smyrna Periodontal Treatment

Periodontal Treatments

Because Little Gums Need Care Too

Lots of people never really think about their gums. Until they hurt, it can be easy to overlook these essential foundations of oral health – especially in kids. We help them brush and floss, take them to the dentist for regular checkups, and make sure they aren’t sipping soda all day, but how often do we look at their gums? Parents should check their little ones’ gums on a regular basis and offer this symptom list to their teenagers so they can keep an eye on their gums themselves.

Why? Gums not only hold teeth in place, they protect the roots of your teeth and the tooth roots and, in fact, your whole body from germs and other irritants that enter your child’s mouth every day. But if these tissues become infected, they are not only not protecting your children’s health, they could be actually contributing to all kinds of health issues including lowering their immune systems.

Clearly, gum or periodontal, disease is nothing to ignore. Unfortunately, gum disease can start very quietly, with barely noticeable symptoms. We recommend that you check your little one’s gums with regularity at home, offer tips to your teenager for maintaining and checking gum health, and see us for your regularly scheduled family dental exams.

Watch Closely for These Symptoms of Gum Disease:

  • Bleeding when brushing or flossing
  • Puffiness or tenderness of the gums
  • Bad breath
  • Loose-feeling teeth

If any of these symptoms are present in your child’s mouth, call The Smile Place right away. We can help.

Periodontal disease is a gum infection caused by a buildup of plaque on your teeth. When this plaque remains in contact with gums it causes a reaction in the gums that in its early stages is called gingivitis. If gingivitis is not discovered and treated on a timely basis, it will get worse and worse until gums recede leaving teeth vulnerable to decay, abscesses, and tooth loss; your child may feel sick or be more prone to illness; and the bones that support his or her face can be affected.

We believe that every child should have this treatment if needed. If your child is showing any signs or symptoms of this dangerous disease, please call us. We will work with you to get your child the care she needs. We believe in saving those teeth before it is too late.

Here at The Smile Place, we use lasers, ultrasound cleaning, and irrigation to clean away all plaque, tartar, and infected gum tissues, allowing gums to quickly heal. We usually start with a deep-cleaning method called scaling or root planing to remove plaque and tartar from teeth above and below the gum line. This is usually supplemented by laser gum therapy in which we use a soft-tissue laser to remove diseased tissue. To improve home health care, we also offer electric toothbrushes and waterpiks.

Our care for young gums doesn’t stop at treating infections. We can also diagnose and treat some of the most common pediatric gum issues such as gingival overgrowth – a big term basically meaning an increase in the size of the gums. Many things can contribute to enlarged gums, including, but not limited to:

  • Gum disease
  • Prescribed medications
  • Heredity
  • Hormonal changes
  • Mouth breathing
  • Oral irritation
  • Various health syndromes
  • Poor oral hygiene

Discovering and treating gingival overgrowth or gum enlargement is important because without treatment it can lead to all kinds of problems including a delay in adult tooth eruption, gaps between teeth, difficulty chewing or speaking, an increased risk for cavities, and emotional distress.

Because we use lasers to treat soft-tissue issues such as gum problems, the procedure is easy and fast with no need for stitches.

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