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Apr
A guide to proactive, biologic-focused gingivitis care
Gum disease is a leading cause of tooth loss. As a holistic and biologic dental office, Owens Dental Berthoud also understands the many connections between the health of the gums and the rest of the mouth. We know that gum disease threatens the health of your mouth and the rest of your body. Fortunately, our biologic-centric approach to dental care in Berthoud, Colorado, focuses on actively preventing damage to the soft tissues that support and frame your teeth. Prompt detection and treatment of gingivitis prevents serious damage to gums, teeth, and bone, along with other health issues.
What is gingivitis?
Gingivitis is an early stage of gum disease characterized by inflammation. Inflamed gums may appear redder or darker than usual, and puffy or swollen. Patients with gingival irritation may also notice that their gums hurt when pressure is placed on them. They may experience tenderness or discomfort when they brush or floss their gums. You may also see “pink in the sink” or on your toothbrush or floss, as your gums may bleed easily when you clean them. Bad breath is also a common symptom of early-stage gum disease.
Does gingivitis always cause noticeable changes to my mouth?
No. In fact, you may have gingivitis and not even know it. Oral conditions like gum disease can be “silent” or asymptomatic in their earliest stages. It is important to maintain a strong relationship and partnership with us. This partnership is built on regular visits to our office. During these visits, Dr. Tim Owens examines the health of your gums. He may find problems that require prompt treatment, or early damage that would otherwise go untreated without routine, proactive, and professional dental care.
Why is it important to treat gingivitis right away?
Oral conditions like gum disease do not go away on their own. Without treatment, they can worsen. Gingivitis or early gum disease may be treated conservatively. When treated promptly and effectively, the effects of gingivitis can be reversed.
What if gingivitis progresses?
Without treatment, gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. This advanced form of gum disease can destroy the supportive bone in your jaw. As the bone erodes, your teeth may become loose. They may be damaged beyond repair. Unlike gingivitis, the effects of periodontitis cannot be reversed. When these tissues are eroded, they are gone for good. Restorative treatments would be necessary to build up the lost tissues.
How do you treat gingivitis?
The best “treatment” is no treatment at all. We emphasize preventive care. Our approaches to care involve identifying and addressing your unique risk factors for gum disease. For instance, we may recommend changes to nutrition and cleaning techniques to minimize the build-up of plaque. This destructive bacterial film is at the root of gum disease, as it irritates the gums. Without treatment, it hardens and breaks down the fibers that attach the teeth to the gums. Eventually, it destroys the bone that holds your teeth in place. As needed, we may also recommend the following services to prevent further and more extensive damage:
- A deep teeth cleaning, known as scaling and root planing.
- Ozone therapy.
- Minimally invasive laser dentistry.
How does gum disease affect my total health?
As a holistic dental office, Owens Dental Berthoud appreciates the connections between oral health and systemic health. Advanced gum disease is linked to an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, and other serious medical conditions. Researchers have linked bacteria and inflammation related to periodontitis to various whole-body health risks. With our broad-based, biologic-centric approach, our team protects against these threats to support the lasting health of your smile and the rest of your body.
Call (970) 444-5464 to learn more about our distinctive approaches and to schedule your appointment today.
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Dr. Tim Owens
Dr. Tim Owens is a highly skilled and compassionate dentist, known for his holistic approach to dental care. After earning his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2004, he pursued further training in general dentistry at the University of Utah School of Medicine. With a background in physical therapy, he integrates this unique discipline into his dental practice. Dr. Owens is an active member of the IAOMT and a certified provider of Ozone Therapy, ensuring his patients receive biologic treatments that promote both oral and overall health. He is also pursuing certification in Biologic Dentistry and the SMART technique for mercury removal.
His affiliations include the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, American Academy of Craniofacial Pain, and the Colorado Dental Association, among others.
Why People Love Owens Dental Berthoud
She used to come to Dr. Owens because the level of care and service that I have received here for almost over 10 years has been exceptional. I feel that I’m valued as a patient. You know, you personally feel like it’s a lot of family values, the office makes you feel like you’re in a large city, you feel like you’re in a local dentist office, that we’re not with receptionists but all the dental hygienists knowing my name. They’ve made me feel welcomed and remembered. They always remember my name or something that we talked about the last time I was in. The atmosphere is very relaxed. They make you feel really comfortable, they make you feel like a friend. Everything is always kind of fun here, it’s professional but it’s also fun and very calming. I always feel extremely comfortable here. Fundamentally you forget you’re at the dentist you know everybody they give you a sense that they know you. Always happy to see you and we come in the back for your examination of procedure. They treat you like an individual and it’s always very professional and very relaxed you know, are you okay, can I get you anything. They would ask if you are comfortable, is there anything I can get you. Everyone always asks if you need anything, can I help you with anything, and to me that’s very important. Dr. Owens and his team have explained all the procedures thoroughly to me which is aided in me being very comfortable. I have some unique dental problems and Dr. Owens approached me very cautiously but you know annoyingly about it you know I knew by myself so I really appreciate that and never pushed anything which I thought was very impressive. Everybody knows me and addresses me by name and they make me feel comfortable in the front office they’ve boys taking care of the billing. Everybody is aware of what’s going on and they work well together and always enjoy coming in here. My name is Lynn, my name is Valerie, I’m a certified public accountant, I’m a retired teacher of 23 years, I’m a massage therapist and a graphic designer, I’m a patient of Dr. Owens, and I am a patient of Dr. Owens, and I’m a patient of Dr. Owens and always will be.
My smile I wasn’t happy with it. I consider myself an attractive person and I’m a happy person and my smile just didn’t match the inside. I was a little apprehensive. I was kind of always kind of like keeping my lip down. I wasn’t really self-conscious about my smile. It was just not what I wanted it to be so I went on Google and found Dr. Owens and came here and I was very happy I did. A number of people were telling me, especially my wife, that your teeth are kind of crooked and jagged and everything and so at some point a man, maybe they have a point and I should do something. I felt very insecure and not very confident with my smile. I just felt like yellow. I wanted to replace the front four and as long as we were doing it I said I want them to be beautiful -it was time – it was time – it was time to make a change there was no pain involved it was just it was just a really great process for me I it was so smooth and so easy and I would have done this ten years ago if I would have known it was so easy. It’s boosted a lot of confidence that I have and I can’t believe how many compliments I get out of my smiles. It’s just made a whole difference in how I feel when I perform because I feel like my smile is beautiful because when I sing and when I perform that’s what you see is my smile. But my new smile I feel wakes me up from my job. I can just be myself and not cover my smile anymore. I’m always kind of a happy-go-lucky guy so my smile got even better, but mostly because my wife got the feeling that it was much more beautiful, and happy. You know you’re not as much hiding behind you know you’re smiling white and yeah, you’re just happier and more confident I would say. After I had my teeth done, I was on a dating site and after I had my teeth done and I put up new pictures, boy my dating life picked up a ton. So, you know men are all about the smile. It really has just changed not who I am but it’s changed the reflection of who I am which is exactly what I was after. People are, you know, wondering will it really change my life? Will it really make a difference? It made a huge difference for me.