Almost all New York City residents know that they should see a dentist twice a year for regular cleanings and evaluations of their teeth. After all, we’ve been taught this since we were children. But sometimes, dental circumstances require more than just a routine – or even emergency – trip to a regular dentist. You might need to see a periodontist, who is a dentist with advanced education and who also specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease. While you may recognize periodontists as the type of practitioner who performs certain oral surgeries such as tooth extractions, dental implants, and bone grafts, the truth is that this type of dental health care provider does so much more. Read on to discover 3 warning signs that you may need to see a periodontist like Dr. Kissel stat.
- Your Gums Are Red, Swollen, and Bleeding
Healthy gums should be pink in color. They should never be swollen or bleed, especially when you brush your teeth or floss them. If you are experiencing either one of these symptoms, it’s possible that you have periodontal disease. With additional training and expertise in this common gum condition, a periodontist like Dr. Kissel is the ideal health care practitioner to treat patients living in and around New York City who are suffering from periodontal disease.
New York City patients who are diagnosed with periodontal disease will need to do more than routinely brush, floss and have a dental cleaning. Often, a periodontist like Dr. Kissel will recommend that you have a specialized deep cleaning treatment called a scaling and root planing, in which the roots of your teeth are cleaned to remove the bacteria from underneath your gums.
- Your Gums Are Receding
Another of the warning signs that you should see a periodontist is if you’ve noticed that your gums are receding, or that you have deep pockets between your teeth, perhaps even filled with pus, you definitely need to see a New York City periodontist right away. These are symptoms of advanced periodontal disease, a condition that leads to tooth loss and damaged jawbone tissue. If periodontist Dr. Kissel diagnoses you with advanced periodontal disease, it’s highly likely that, in addition to scaling and root planing, you’ll also need a gum graft. This is an oral surgery in which small pieces of tissue are removed from the roof of your mouth and placed over your exposed roots so that the donor tissue grows together with your remaining gum tissue.
- You Have a Family History of Gum Disease
Even though you may be a dentist’s dream patient, a strong family history of gum disease is a cause for concern. Because periodontal disease can be hereditary, you may be doing everything right but still end up with it. If your parents and siblings have gum disease, it’s best to see a periodontist regularly for good, preventative care.
Call Dr. Kissel Today if Any of the Above Sounds Like You
If you are experiencing any of the warning sings you’ve just read, then you need to call Dr. Kissel, one of New York’s leading periodontists, to schedule an appointment right away.
He can be reached at his office near the New York City area by calling (212) 702-9088 or you can contact him online.
