Russell Dental

(702) 798-6216

Russell Dental > Services > Gum Disease Prevention & Treatment

Routine teeth cleanings with an experienced hygienist will keep your gums healthy and avoid damage to your smile.

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Gum Disease Prevention & Treatment in Las Vegas, NV

A top priority at Russell Dental is prevention which includes routine checkups and teeth cleanings with our experienced hygienist. Our goal with these services is to help you maintain healthy teeth and gums and prevent serious dental issues from forming.

When we see you regularly, we can catch and treat minor issues before they cause pain or require complex or costly dental work to correct.

How Often Should I Visit the Dentist?

The general recommendation from the American Dental Association is to visit the dentist every six months for dental cleanings and exams. At Russell Dental, we tailor your treatment schedule for your specific needs. For example, if we are treating you for gum disease, we may recommend more frequent checkups at our Paradise, NV, dental office.

Your New Patient Hygiene Appointment

Our friendly dental hygienist, Lesley, is gentle and skilled at making your cleaning appointment comfortable and efficient. During a new patient hygiene appointment, she typically performs the following:

Gets you settled comfortably in your exam room and takes photos or dental x-rays as needed.
Performs a teeth cleaning, flossing, and polishing. Lesley also notes and records any overall oral health conditions related to your periodontal (gum) health.
Educates you about your oral health needs and teaches you the skills needed to improve your at-home oral hygiene.
Introduces you to our dentist, Dr. Simon Tsang, who discusses your concerns or any issues we detected during your cleaning.
Schedules you for treatment if needed or for your next six-month maintenance cleaning.

We won't rush you through your appointment because we want you to have time to ask questions and process all the information we provide. Expect your first appointment to take about an hour and a half.

The Benefits of Preventive Dentistry

You practice prevention in your life when you get routine oil changes or keep your tires properly inflated. You do this because you want to keep your vehicle in top condition so it doesn't break down and lead to costly repairs.

Your oral health is similar. Preventive dentistry is what you do today to benefit your smile tomorrow. Americans spend millions on treating problems like cavities or periodontal disease that often come down to a basic lack of proper preventive dental care.

What Is Gum Disease?

Periodontal disease is an infection of gum tissue that surrounds and supports your teeth, commonly caused by excessive plaque and tartar buildup. Nearly half of all US adults over age 30 have some degree of gum disease, but many aren't aware because the symptoms are often so mild. Some symptoms to watch out for are:

Bleeding gums when you brush and floss
Red or inflamed gums
Swollen gums
Loose teeth
Gum recession
A change in the way your teeth feel
Bad breath that doesn't go away with mouthwash

Stages of Gum Disease

Gingivitis—Early Gum Disease

The early stage of gum disease is called gingivitis. If we find gingivitis promptly stage, we can easily reverse it with a professional teeth cleaning and improved oral hygiene at home. However, if gingivitis is allowed to progress without treatment, it advances to periodontitis, which is not reversible.

Periodontitis—Advanced Gum Disease

Periodontitis is an advanced infection that attacks not just your gums but the ligaments and bone that hold your teeth in place. Without treatment, these structures continue to deteriorate, loosening your teeth and eventually leading to bone loss and tooth loss.

However, we can slow the progression of periodontitis with a specialized deep cleaning procedure called scaling and root planing.

Scaling and Root Planing to Treat Periodontitis

Scaling and root planing (SRP) is an advanced dental cleaning treatment that allows your hygienist to remove tartar (calculus) buildup below the gumline. By removing the deposits and bacteria, in many cases, scaling and root planing can prevent the spread of periodontitis.

SRP is often performed over multiple appointments to ensure you are as comfortable as possible. You will also receive a local anesthetic to numb the area so you don't feel any pain.

Our hygienist uses technology called an ultrasonic scaler with high-frequency vibrations that break up the calculus deposits on tooth surfaces. The root surfaces of the tooth are then smoothed over to help gum tissue reattach to them more easily, and an antibiotic is applied if necessary.

After scaling and root planing, we will recommend frequent teeth cleanings to prevent the disease from spreading.

Schedule Your Teeth Cleaning with Our Hygienist

With routine teeth cleanings, we can help you avoid gum disease and the need for involved treatments like scaling and root planing. If it's been six months or more since your last appointment with a hygienist, we can help you!

Please call Russell Dental at (702) 798-6216 to schedule a convenient appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you treat gum disease?

Gum disease treatment depends on how advanced it is. Our experienced hygienist will evaluate your needs and explain her findings and what treatment she recommends.

Gingivitis Treatment

Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease. Its symptoms include bleeding gums when you brush, inflamed or swollen gums, and chronic bad breath.

At this stage, gingivitis is reversible because the infection is only affecting the gum tissue. Gingivitis treatment involves a thorough dental cleaning to remove bacteria-filled plaque that causes inflammation.

During your cleaning, our hygienist will also note any areas you’re missing with your brush and floss and give tips for improving your at-home oral hygiene.

Periodontitis Treatment

The advanced stage of gum disease is called periodontitis, which occurs when gingivitis is not treated. Periodontitis affects the gums, bone, tissue, and ligaments that hold teeth in place. The damage that periodontitis does is not reversible. However, we can manage the disease and prevent it from progressing to the point of tooth loss.

Treatment for periodontitis is called scaling and root planing (SRP), also known as deep cleaning. SRP is an in-depth cleaning that removes plaque and bacteria above and below the gumline. We perform SRP over several appointments to ensure your comfort.

Periodontitis treatment is not a one-time thing. We need to monitor it on an ongoing basis to prevent it from advancing and ultimately leading to tooth loss.

Do You Have Signs of Gum Disease?

The key to avoiding the dangers of gum disease is brushing twice daily, flossing once, and scheduling professional teeth cleanings twice a year.

If you have signs of gingivitis, like gums that bleed when you brush, please call Russell Dental to schedule an appointment.

Why do I need dental cleanings if I brush and floss?

We recommend routine professional dental cleanings to remove plaque and tartar that your brush and floss leave behind.

Why Plaque and Tartar Are a Problem

Plaque is a sticky film that is constantly forming on your teeth. It is made up of saliva, food particles, and bacteria. When you brush twice daily and flossing once removes harmful bacteria and minimizes plaque buildup.

Any plaque your brush and floss miss gradually turns into tartar, a hard, mineral-like substance. Also called calculus, tartar sticks to your teeth, and no amount of brushing and flossing can remove it. Only a skilled dental hygienist can remove it using instruments specifically designed for the job.

Eliminating all plaque and tartar is crucial because both harbor harmful bacteria that can lead to cavities and gum disease. Professional dental cleanings are the best way to protect your smile, and it’s also a great feeling to know your teeth are as fresh and clean as they can be.

For many patients, we recommend hygiene appointments every six months. If you have a history of gum disease, our hygienist customizes a schedule for you that may include more frequent cleanings.

Is It Time for Your Next Teeth Cleaning?

At Russell Dental in Paradise, NV, we treat patients from all over the Las Vegas area, including Henderson. If you’re due for your next routine teeth cleaning, please call us at (702) 798-6216 to schedule an appointment with our hygienist.

Meet Our Dentist:

Dr. Simon Chun Tsang

Dr. Simon Tsang grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and received his dental degree at Tufts University in Boston. He served proudly in the United States Naval Force as a dental officer and traveled worldwide, gaining invaluable experiences, including participating in humanitarian work in Sri Lanka. Dr. Tsang recently completed residency training in implantology, teeth restoration, and sedation dentistry at the University of Puerto Rico. He is also fluent in English and Chinese.

Dr. Tsang treats his patients with professionalism and compassion. He believes in conservative dental treatment, and his practice methodology ...