Our Prairieville, LA dental office specializes in periodontal disease treatment and gum health.

Protect Yourself From Gum Disease in Prairieville, LA

Gum Disease Treatment in Prairieville, LA

woman flossing | periodontal treatment prairieville la Just as your house needs a firm foundation, so do your teeth! This is what your gums provide, and when your gums are not healthy, your teeth are at risk.

Periodontal (gum) disease is prevalent among over half of American adults in some form, and it is actually the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. The good news is your team at Palm Family Dentistry can help!

Periodontal Disease Treatment in Prairieville, LA

What is periodontal disease? Can it be prevented? Is there anything I can do at home to manage it?

There are many questions surrounding gum disease, and it can be tricky to detect it on your own during its early stage because there are not many symptoms or much pain at first.

Gum disease is essentially an infection of the support system for your teeth, which are your gums and bone. It is caused by excessive plaque buildup below the gum line, which allows the bacterial infection to develop.

The first stage of gum disease is called gingivitis. The first symptoms you may notice are that your gums appear red, irritated, or swollen, and they might bleed when you brush your teeth. Chronic bad breath that doesn’t go away is another sign of gingivitis.

Periodontitis is the advanced stage of gum disease. In this stage, you may notice that your gums are receding or your teeth hurt when chewing.

How Is Gum Disease Treated?

Gingivitis can be treated and often reversed with a thorough professional cleaning and improvements to your home care routine. If you have noticed the early signs of gingivitis, it’s best to schedule a cleaning and checkup with Palm Family Dentistry right away. The earlier you treat gingivitis, the better your chances are of effectively managing it.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for gum disease; however, you can successfully manage your condition with the help of your dental team. The first step is a deep cleaning called scaling and root planing that can reach below the gum line to remove the plaque and tartar buildup that is causing your infection. woman in dental chair | gum disease treatment prairieville la

Palm Family Dentistry also offers laser therapies that are very helpful in eliminating the infection caused by gum disease and accelerating your healing process. Dr. Palm may also recommend additional cleanings throughout the year for patients managing gum disease.

Prevention Is the Key

Your six-month preventive checkups and cleanings are truly your best defense against periodontal disease. This is because Dr. Palm can actually detect gum disease much earlier than you can, giving you the best chance of treating it successfully with less invasive treatment procedures.

If you find yourself facing gum disease, we’ll be here to help you manage it every step of the way. Give us a call today to schedule your next appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is periodontal disease curable?

Periodontal disease is more commonly known as gum disease, and it is, unfortunately, a widespread problem. Many adults in the U.S. suffer from periodontal disease.

While there is no cure for gum disease, we can reverse its effects in many cases if we catch the disease early on. It is also preventable, and we can help you work to prevent it from developing in the first place.

To prevent gum disease, you should brush and floss thoroughly and regularly. You should brush your teeth a minimum of two times a day, and you should floss at least once every day.

To reverse the early stages of periodontal disease, called gingivitis, you must brush and floss regularly. We will also recommend professional dental cleanings. If you have signs of gum disease, you will need more frequent cleanings to help keep your teeth and gums healthy.

If necessary, we may recommend a deep cleaning of your teeth and gums in addition to your regular dental cleanings. This procedure is known as scaling and root planing.

What Other Treatments Are Available?

At Palm Family Dentistry, our skilled dentist can treat gum disease with laser therapies, in addition to our other treatment options. If you have periodontal disease and need treatment, ask our team about trying laser therapy.

Gum Disease Treatment in Prairieville

Reach out to our friendly dental office today to schedule your appointment for periodontal treatment or preventive care. We are here to help you maintain outstanding oral health, and we're happy to answer any of your questions!

Can you do same-day tooth extractions?

Yes, we offer same-day tooth extractions in our Prairieville and Baton Rouge dental offices for patients who need them. Our first course of action, however, is rarely tooth extraction. We will do everything we can to save a natural tooth before resorting to extraction.

If we cannot save the tooth and Dr. Palm recommends extraction for your situation, he will discuss precisely what the problem is and why we must remove the tooth. We will make the extraction procedure as comfortable as we can for you.

Our caring, gentle team of professionals provides excellent care to patients during extractions, so if you have any questions or any suggestions for making you more comfortable during the procedure, let us know.

We may recommend removal of a tooth for a variety of reasons, including:

Severe and widespread decay that can’t be fixed with a crown or filling
A severe tooth infection
Advanced gum disease
Removal of teeth for prosthetic placement, like dentures

Fortunately, with adherence to a good oral hygiene routine and regular dental cleanings, many of these situations are avoidable.

What Can I Eat after a Tooth Extraction?

If we must remove a tooth, whether it’s a planned or emergency extraction, you will need to adjust your diet for a short time afterward to protect the extraction site.

For the 24 hours following your extraction, you should stick to a diet of soft foods and liquids only. You can expand into eating easy-to-chew foods after 24 hours, and you should stay on that diet for at least a few days. After several days have passed, you can slowly move back into your regular diet.

When eating after your extraction, avoid foods or beverages that are hot or spicy. Also, do NOT consume alcoholic beverages after a tooth extraction, and also avoid eating hard or crunchy foods.

You should consume all foods and beverages at lukewarm temperatures. Applesauce, mashed potatoes, and other foods that don’t require chewing are excellent choices for the first day or so after your procedure.

How Long Does Pain Last After a Tooth Extraction?

It generally takes a couple of weeks for the extraction area to heal fully. However, any associated pain usually fades for patients within 72 hours. To help your extraction site heal quickly, follow the above guidelines and any other instructions provided by your dentist.

Replacing Your Extracted Tooth

It’s essential to replace missing teeth. Your oral health depends on it. After your extraction area has healed, we will work with you to replace your missing tooth. We offer several options for tooth replacement in our Baton Rouge and Prairieville dentist offices.

Dr. Palm will assess your dental situation and recommend either dentures, dental implants, or a bridge. We are dedicated to providing you with excellent dental care, and we want you to enjoy the best tooth replacement possible, which is why we offer a variety of choices.

All our tooth replacements are natural-looking and comfortable, and they’ll help protect your oral health.

Same-Day Tooth Extractions in Prairieville

If you’re looking for an emergency dentist with same-day extractions, you have come to the right place. Our skilled dentist can help you remedy your tooth pain or infection with an emergency tooth extraction in Prairieville.

Reach out to our team at Palm Family Dentistry today for assistance.

Meet Our Doctors:

Daniel Palm, DDS | Dentist in Baton Rouge and Prairieville, Louisiana

Dr. Daniel Palm

Born and raised in New Orleans, Dr. Palm graduated from Louisiana State University in 2007, majoring in Biological Sciences with a minor in Psychology. He graduated from LSU School of Dentistry ...

Allison Landry, DDS | Dentist in Baton Rouge and Prairieville, Lousiana

Dr. Allison I. Landry

Dr. Landry is a proud Lafayette native who is passionate about providing compassionate, high-quality dental care to her community. She completed her undergraduate studies at LSU,

Dr. Neusetzer- dentist in Baton Rouge, LA

Dr. Catherine Neusetzer

Dr. Neu is a Prairieville native and a Dutchtown High School Alumna. She graduated from Louisiana State University, where she served as the President of the Pre-Dental Society. She then

Meet More of our Staff

Featured Blog Posts - Periodontal Health

October 15, 2024

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April 25, 2024

Understanding Gum Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

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Did you know that periodontal (gum) disease impacts over 50 percent of American adults in some form? This condition can sneak up on you because it doesn't initially cause pain, and that's why routine preventive checkups and teeth cleanings with your Prairieville dentist are so important.

Today, we're raising awareness ...

December 30, 2021

3 Surprising Foods That Promote Healthy Gums

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One item found on many New Year's resolutions lists is a commitment to eat healthier, more nutritious foods. If this is one of your goals, don't forget that your oral health is closely linked to your general health.

When you think about the foods you want to include, it's a good ...