Treating gum disease is essential for your oral, and your overall health. After you receive treatment at your dentist’s office, though, treatment is not over.
You must take steps at home to ensure that new bacteria do not grow and does not attack vulnerable gum tissues as they heal. Quite often, as a part of your treatment plan, your dentist will recommend an anti-bacterial mouthwash.
What Is Gum Disease?
Gum disease begins as gingivitis, an often silent, almost invisible, issue. Bacteria attack your gums and, as a result, your gums become red, swollen and may bleed when you brush and floss.
Untreated, your gums begin to pull away from your teeth, creating pockets into which bacteria fall. From there, they continue to attack. The pockets get deeper and your teeth and bone become involved. Severe gum disease (severe periodontitis) leads to tooth loss.
The Importance Of Treatment
Getting treatment for gum disease, especially early on, helps to prevent many of the severe consequences involved with gum disease. If caught early enough, all that is needed is a thorough dental cleaning.
Sometimes, a scaling and root planing, a deeper cleaning procedure, is required. If your gum disease is serious enough, you may require a surgical procedure to effectively remove all of the bacteria stuck in the periodontal pockets.
How Does Mouthwash Help?
After gum disease treatment, your dentist may recommend an anti-bacterial mouthwash. You may even be given a prescription for a stronger mouthwash. Mouthwash is important for loosening particles between teeth and washing out pockets that have not quite healed yet (and cannot be reached with a toothbrush or floss).
It is often recommended, however, if you are buying an over the counter mouthwash, that you avoid alcohol, as it can irritate sensitive tissue.
Mouthwash can be a crucial part of the healing process. Even after your gums have healed, an anti-bacterial wash can help to prevent gum disease from returning. Contact our office to learn more.