Modern American Dentistry

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Healthy gums are a crucial aspect of having a healthy smile. To protect the integrity of your mouth, make sure you floss and clean around your gums!

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Periodontal Treatment in Woodland Hills & Manhattan Beach

When you think about keeping your smile healthy, you probably focus mostly on having beautiful, clean teeth. While healthy teeth are a significant part of your oral health, they aren’t the only aspect to consider.

Your gum health matters as much as the health of your teeth. If your gums are healthy, the rest of your smile usually follows suit. Thriving gums also means having better general health in the rest of your body.

At Modern American Dentistry, we treat patients who are at all different levels of oral health to help each patient achieve a beautiful smile. As part of our comprehensive dental treatment, we offer services to promote gum health and treat gum disease in Manhattan Beach.

woman flossing her teeth in woodland hills If you’re concerned about the health of your gums or would like a dentist to examine your smile, please contact us today and we can schedule your dental appointment. You can reach our Manhattan Beach dental office by calling (310) 640-0967 and our Woodland Hills dental office by calling (818) 886-1076.

Facts About Gum Health
Gum Disease Warning Signs
Unhealthy Gums and Your Body
Treatment for Periodontal Disease in Woodland Hills
Contact Us to Schedule Your Next Dental Cleaning

Facts About Gum Health

Keeping your gums healthy is an essential part of maintaining a clean and happy smile. When you take good care of your gum line, your teeth stay put and can function as they should.

Gum health matters, yet so many people live with diseased or at-risk gums. If you want to keep your smile in excellent shape, it’s helpful to know which oral health behaviors to rely on and which habits to avoid. Our Manhattan Beach dentists and dental staff want you to have all the information you need to make the best healthcare decisions, so we invite you to consider the following:

Healthy gums are pink and firm to the touch. Unhealthy gums are darker red and usually tender and swollen
You can prevent gum disease by consistently practicing good oral hygiene. Flossing every single day helps keep harmful bacteria away from your gums and vulnerable areas of your mouth
The type of toothbrush you choose matters if you want to keep your smile healthy. Buy a toothbrush with soft bristles to avoid accidentally receding your gums through brushing, and stay away from bristles and toothpaste with activated charcoal that may damage your tooth enamel
Bleeding when you brush and floss is not normal. Your gums should not bleed when you touch them or use dental instruments around them. If you’re noticing blood on your floss or when you spit in the sink, you need to schedule a teeth cleaning right away
Smoking and tobacco products hurt your gums and dramatically increase your risk of developing problems with your gums
Your gum health affects your overall bodily health. Unhealthy gums can lead to other serious medical concerns and increase your risk of developing diabetes or having a stroke
Visiting your dentist twice every year for your routine teeth cleanings and dental exams can 1) help prevent the disease from developing and 2) allow your dental team to catch the disease early if it develops so it doesn’t have a chance to advance

If you have concerns about your gum health or are worried because you skipped your last few dental visits, contact our Woodland Hills or Manhattan Beach dental office location to schedule a teeth cleaning and exam ASAP!

Gum Disease Warning Signs

Sadly, periodontal disease is everywhere. Tens of millions of American adults currently live with some form of gum disease and many don’t even realize it because they think their symptoms are “normal.”

When it comes to unhealthy gums, there are several distinct stages of decay. Gingivitis, which is the earliest stage of gum disease, is reversible with professional dental cleanings designed to remove plaque, tartar, and bacteria from your teeth and beneath your gum line. This makes showing up for your six-month dental exams more critical than ever.

To keep your mouth healthy and strong, be on the lookout for these gum disease warning signs:

Persistent bad breath
Bleeding when you floss or brush your teeth
Teeth that appear longer or “taller” than they used to
Tooth sensitivity
Swollen, tender gums
Gums that are red or dark instead of pink
Loose teeth

If you notice any of these symptoms, don’t wait another minute to contact Modern American Dentistry. The sooner we examine your smile, the better our chances of catching your periodontal disease and getting your gums back to optimal health.

Unhealthy Gums and Your Body

It makes sense: since periodontal disease is an infection, it affects your overall health. Still, many people do not understand how severe the condition actually is.

Each year, it seems like researchers are discovering more links between gum disease and severe, life-threatening diseases. Heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, low birth weight babies, cancer, and respiratory illnesses are all more prevalent in people who suffer from periodontal disease.

At Modern American Dentistry, we evaluate our patients for signs of gum disease in Manhattan Beach during our comprehensive exams and dental cleanings so that if your health is in danger, you can address it early when it is easiest to treat. These regular dental exams are even more important if you have other risk factors, such as medications that cause dry mouth, poor nutrition, smoking, or teeth clenching or grinding.

Treatment for Periodontal Disease in Woodland Hills

At Modern American Dentistry, we provide thoughtful and effective treatment for diseased gums.

Our dental cleanings are thorough, yet our hygienists are gentle, ensuring that you have a good experience with optimal results. Our treatment team may recommend specific products or adjustments to your home care to ensure that your gums stay healthy.

Our hygienists custom tailor your treatment based on your needs at each stage in your life. After all, your oral health can fluctuate just as much as your overall health.

Although gingivitis is reversible, the more advanced stage, periodontitis, is not. As your condition progresses into periodontitis, you may require a series of specialized dental cleanings to remove diseased tissue and tartar from your teeth entirely. We also use a localized antibiotic treatment to assist with healing, when necessary.

Once we complete your dental cleanings, we will recommend a dental hygiene schedule to help you stay on track. For some people, that may mean dental cleanings three to four times per year because patients who have had periodontal disease in the past will be more susceptible to a reoccurrence. By keeping it under control, we can limit tooth loss and other health complications.

As we get to know you and your health history, we can design a preventive dental treatment plan that meets your health requirements. The health and beauty of your smile starts with healthy gums!

Contact Us to Schedule Your Next Dental Cleaning

If you suspect you have gum disease in Woodland Hills or Manhattan Beach or notice sensitivity, soreness, bleeding, or areas that look inflamed, contact our Los Angeles area dental offices right away! If it’s time for your next dental cleaning, we look forward to giving you the clean, smooth, fresh feeling that only a professional dental cleaning can provide.

Even if it has been a while since you’ve been to the dentist, Dr. Joel Gould and Dr. Gabe Adorjan and our entire clinical team look forward to helping you get back on track!

Formerly Nervous and Anxious Woodland Hills Patient

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Frequently Asked Questions

What causes bad breath?

Bad breath can originate from a number of medical problems such as digestive issues, dry mouth, and certain medications. Most often, bad breath, also known as halitosis, stems from problems within the mouth.

Short-Term Bad Breath

You may have short-term bad breath due to dehydration or not eating enough food. Your mouth can also retain odors from strong foods such as curry, onions, and garlic. You can help alleviate bad breath from foods by brushing your teeth and tongue to remove any food debris and odors. Most bad breath caused by food quickly dissipates, so there is no reason to avoid your favorites unless you have an important face-to-face meeting after lunch!

Chronic Bad Breath Explained

Chronic bad breath often stems from a serious infection called periodontal (gum) disease. Periodontal disease has a distinct odor that you can often smell when people talk. Unfortunately, unless someone tells you, you may not know that your breath smells foul. You can floss your teeth and smell the floss, but even then it may not be apparent, especially for older people who lose their sense of smell as they age.

Other signs of periodontal disease that can give you a clue about your breath are bleeding when you brush and floss, swollen gums, redness, and recession.

If you do not take good care of your teeth and have regular dental cleanings, you can count on having bad breath eventually.

Contact Our Woodland Hills, CA Dental Clinic

If you have questions about how to maintain fresh breath, our dental hygienists are a wealth of knowledge and can help you get back on track.

What is plaque and why is it bad?

Plaque is a film of bacteria that forms on your teeth and near your gum line. Brushing your teeth regularly removes this layer of plaque. That is why we recommend brushing at least twice daily!

Removal of Plaque at Dental Cleanings

If you do not brush thoroughly or you skip tooth brushing, plaque can harden into tartar, also known as calculus, and you will be unable to remove it with a toothbrush. At your professional dental cleaning, our gentle and skilled hygienists will remove any calculus so your gums can heal.

Plaque and calculus contain toxins that irritate the gums, causing inflammation and leading to a condition known as periodontal disease. In its early stages, periodontal disease may be reversible with a proper dental cleaning and consistent home care.

Periodontal Disease Treatment in Woodland Hills

As periodontal disease progresses, it becomes a more serious condition called periodontitis and may require a series of deep cleanings to heal. Once you have periodontitis, you are much more susceptible to a reoccurrence.

For people who struggle with periodontal disease, we can customize your preventive dental care to keep your teeth and gums healthy. This may include more frequent dental cleanings three to four times yearly along with special rinses to keep the infection at bay.

Meet Our Doctor:

Teresa Hawkins RDH
Hygienist

Teresa graduated from USC's dental hygiene program in 1990. She brings almost 35 years of experience to our practice. She has been with us since May of 2023.

Her favorite part of her job is getting to work with an amazing group of people who are dedicated to helping patients achieve healthy smiles for a lifetime.

She grew up in Eagle Rock which is located between Glendale and Pasadena.

In her spare time she enjoys spending quality time with family and friends. She also loves travelling internationally and learning about different cultures.

Featured Blog Posts - Periodontal Treatment

October 26, 2022

Why Healthy Gums Are Important

man getting dental check-up in woodland hills dental office

Healthy gums are essential because they support your teeth and oral function—similarly to how healthy ligaments are necessary to bone function or how your ribs protect and support internal organs. Additionally, unhealthy gums have been linked to severe health complications.

Your Woodland Hills dentist provides preventive dentistry to help ensure gum health but also treatment if you present with gum disease (periodontal disease) or gingivitis.

About Gum Disease

Gum disease is an advanced form of gingivitis. In the gingivitis stage, your dentist can reverse gum disease and restore your oral health. However, ...