Severe gum disease, known as periodontitis, is an incredibly common problem in America. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 47.2% of people aged 30 and older are affected. The condition gets more common with age, and among people 65 years and older, a shocking 70.1% are affected. You may already know that periodontitis makes your gums sore, red, and swollen, but that's not the worst part; periodontitis can also make your teeth fall out. Fortunately, many treatments are available, including laser treatment. Here are four things you need to know about laser treatment for periodontitis.

How is laser treatment performed?

Laser treatment is used in conjunction with scaling and root planing, a type of thorough cleaning. During this procedure, your dentist will carefully scrape all the plaque and tartar off of your teeth, and the area beneath your gums will also be cleaned. After your teeth have been thoroughly cleaned in this manner, laser treatment can begin. 

Laser treatment is very simple. Your dentist will slide the tip of the laser into the pocket between your teeth and your gums, and next, they will apply pulses of light to the tissue. You will feel your dentist moving the laser horizontally and vertically in the gum pockets. This allows your dentist to thoroughly treat the pocket and kill all of the bacteria that are present.

Does laser treatment hurt?

Laser treatment for periodontitis isn't painful because a low level laser is used for this treatment. You can expect to feel some heat in the area, but not pain or discomfort. As a general rule, anesthesia isn't required, but if you have a low pain tolerance and find the procedure uncomfortable, make sure to tell your dentist so that anesthesia can be used.

Is laser treatment effective?

An Italian study followed sixty eight people with moderate to severe periodontitis through treatment for their condition. Half of the people received only scaling and root planing, while the other half also received laser treatment. The researchers monitored everyone's gingival index (a measure of the severity of gum disease) and found that the scaling and root planing group's gingival index decreased by an average of 44%. The group that also received laser treatment, on the other hand, experienced a reduction of 80%.

This shows that laser treatment is incredibly effective when used in conjunction with the traditional scaling and root planing treatment. Laser treatment works well because it kills the bacteria that are present between the teeth and the gums and also stimulates your gum tissue and encourages it to heal. 

Can periodontitis recur after laser treatment?

Laser treatment is an effective treatment for periodontitis, but if you're not careful, the condition can come back. After your treatment, you'll need to take steps to prevent the condition from recurring.

Periodontitis is caused by poor oral hygiene, so if you don't clean your teeth well enough, your condition could come back, and you'll have to go through treatment all over again. To avoid this, you need to make sure to brush your teeth twice a day and to floss once a day. Your dentist may also recommend using mouthwash since mouthwash can help get rid of plaque that you missed with your toothbrush and floss. 

Regular visits to your dentist for cleanings and checkups are also important. Your dentist can remove any plaque that you missed with your toothbrush and floss before it causes any health problems.

If your gums are red and sore, make sure to see your dentist right away. Gum disease can be treated, but if you don't see your dentist, you could lose your teeth. Go to this site here for more information.