As a parent, it’s your job to help take care of your family. That’s why you’re always telling your kids (and sometimes your spouse!) to take better care of their teeth. Brushing, flossing, and regular visits to our dental office are vital ways to help prevent cavities.

But what about gum disease in Red Bank? Did you know that the CDC says 64.7 million adults in the United States have this problem, and that it can lead to painful gums or even lost teeth? And that’s just adults. Kids of all ages can get this condition as well. What can you do to help your family?

Watch For These Gum Disease Signs

The best way to know if anyone in your family has gum disease (also called periodontal disease) is to visit our family dentistry office in Red Bank, NJ. Dr. Denise DiBona and her staff have the training and experience needed to identify any periodontal problems before they grow out of control.

In the meantime, here are some signs that your spouse or children may have periodontal disease:

  • Swollen or tender gums
  • Gums with red or dark spots
  • Small amounts of blood after brushing or flossing
  • Chronic bad breath
  • Receding gums (in other words, you can see more of the tooth than normal)

You also need to worry about anyone in your family with type 2 diabetes. They have a higher risk for gum disease, and when they get it, the disease can get worse more quickly than those without diabetes.

Since gum disease is caused by bacteria, your family could have this problem without any signs at all! That’s why regular visits to our family dentistry office are so important. Dr. DiBona has been helping spot and treat gum disease for 30 years, and she can see children as young as 2 years old.

Treating Gum Disease

If you see some signs of gum disease in your family’s smiles, don’t panic! This disease is treatable.

For the early stages of gum disease, you can often treat it simply by changing your dental hygiene. Flossing can remove food and bacteria from between your teeth. If your family doesn’t floss regularly, doing just that can help a lot.

For more advanced stages of gum disease, Dr. DiBona will create a treatment plan based on your specific needs. This can include:

  • Mouth rinses
  • Antibiotic gels
  • Special paste treatments
  • Scaling and root planing (a method to remove plaque from just under your gums that lead to periodontal disease)

But the best way to fight gum disease in Red Bank is to never get it in the first place! That means helping your family brush twice each day, floss every night, use a plaque-fighting mouthwash, and visit Dr. DiBona at least twice each year. Regular checkups at our Red Bank dental office not only help keep your teeth healthy, they can help stop this gum problem from hurting their smiles.

Call Dr. DiBona today at 732-945-5343 or use our online form to schedule your next appointment to keep your family’s gums healthy.