Austin · Gum Disease

Gum disease treatment in Austin

Gum disease (periodontal disease) is one of the most common reasons patients are referred to a periodontist — and one of the most treatable when caught and managed properly. At our Austin practice, Dr. Jane Smith treats every stage, from early gingivitis to advanced periodontitis with bone loss.

Left untreated, gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults and is linked to broader health concerns. The goal of treatment is to stop the infection, save your natural teeth wherever possible, and restore healthy gums and bone.

The stages of gum disease

Gum disease progresses in stages — the earlier it’s caught, the more conservative and effective the treatment.

Gingivitis

The earliest, mildest stage. Plaque collects along the gumline and the gums become red, swollen, and bleed easily. At this point the damage is usually reversible with a professional cleaning and good home care.

Periodontitis

The infection spreads below the gumline. The gums pull away from the teeth to form pockets, and the supporting bone begins to break down. Treatment can stop the damage, though lost support doesn’t return on its own.

Advanced periodontitis

The most severe stage. Deep pockets, significant bone loss, and gum recession loosen the teeth and put them at risk. Surgical and regenerative treatment is often needed to save them.

Signs you may have gum disease

Gums that bleed when you brush or floss
Red, swollen, or tender gums
Gums pulling away from the teeth (recession)
Persistent bad breath or a bad taste
Loose or shifting teeth
Pain or sensitivity when chewing

Read the full overview of symptoms and causes on our gum disease guide.

Early treatment matters

In its earliest stage, gum disease can often be reversed — or held in check — with conservative, non-surgical care. The further it advances, the more support is lost — so an evaluation at the first signs gives you the best chance of keeping your teeth and avoiding more involved treatment.

How gum disease is treated

1
Non-surgical therapy
Most cases start here: scaling and root planing (a deep cleaning below the gumline) to remove plaque and tartar and let the gums heal.
2
Surgical therapy
When pockets are deep, minimally invasive periodontal surgery cleans the roots and reshapes tissue so the gums can reattach.
3
Regeneration
Bone and tissue grafting can rebuild support that periodontitis has destroyed, where the case allows.
4
Maintenance
Ongoing periodontal maintenance keeps the disease controlled and protects the result long-term.

See the complete treatment journey on our periodontal care page.

Why it gets missed

Periodontitis is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, and it is almost entirely painless until it is advanced. There is no toothache to prompt a visit. A tooth that has lost a third of its supporting bone can look and feel completely normal, and by the time one feels loose, the damage that made it loose happened years earlier.

What it does produce are quiet signals that are easy to explain away. Gums that bleed when you brush — widely assumed to mean brushing too hard, when it usually means inflammation. Breath that never quite improves. Teeth that seem longer in photographs than they used to. Gaps opening between front teeth that have been the same for decades.

Because the disease is diagnosed by measurement rather than by symptoms, the examination is the whole thing. Six measurements around every tooth, recorded and compared against the last set, is what distinguishes gum inflammation that will reverse from bone loss that will not.

What the numbers mean

If you have had a periodontal examination, you have heard someone call out a string of numbers. They are the depth in millimeters of the crevice between gum and tooth, measured at six points on each tooth. Here is roughly how they are read — alongside the finding that matters at least as much, which is whether the site bleeds.

Shallow readings, no bleeding

Health. The gum is attached where it should be and the crevice is one you can clean at home with a brush and floss.

Shallow readings that bleed

Gingivitis. Inflammation without bone loss — the stage that is fully reversible with thorough cleaning and better home care. This is the point at which the disease is cheapest and easiest to stop.

Deeper readings

A pocket has formed, meaning attachment and bone have been lost. Neither a toothbrush nor floss reaches the bottom of it, which is why it needs professional instrumentation below the gumline rather than more brushing.

Deep readings that persist after treatment

Sites this deep can’t be cleaned by you or by a hygienist. These are the specific sites where surgery is discussed — not the whole mouth, and not before non-surgical therapy has been given a proper chance.

Bone loss is not reversible on its own, but it is stoppable at any stage — and in certain defect shapes, some of it can be rebuilt with regenerative periodontal therapy. The earlier the disease is caught, the more of your own teeth you keep.

Questions about gum disease treatment

Will I definitely need surgery?: No, and surgery is never the first step. Treatment starts with scaling and root planing, followed by a re-evaluation a few weeks later. Many pockets shallow and stop bleeding at that stage and need nothing further. Surgery is planned only for the sites that stay deep enough that nobody can clean them.
My gums bleed but they don’t hurt. Is that a problem?: Bleeding is the earliest reliable sign of gum disease, and the absence of pain is the norm rather than reassurance. Healthy gums don’t bleed when cleaned properly. It’s also the stage at which the condition is most easily reversed, which makes it worth acting on rather than watching.
Can gum disease be cured?: Gingivitis can be fully reversed. Periodontitis can be controlled and stabilized but not cured — it’s a chronic condition, and the susceptibility that allowed it doesn’t disappear. What treatment achieves is stopping the destruction and keeping the teeth, which is a realistic and durable goal.
Why do my teeth look longer after treatment?: Because inflamed gum is swollen gum. As the infection resolves, the swelling goes down and the tissue settles to its true position — revealing how much support had already been lost beneath it. It’s the treatment showing you the reality, not creating it.
What does laser treatment do?: Lasers are used in periodontal treatment for decontamination and soft-tissue procedures, and can be a useful adjunct. They don’t replace the mechanical removal of calculus below the gumline, which is what actually resolves the infection. Be cautious of anywhere presenting a laser as a substitute for thorough instrumentation.
How often will I need to come in afterward?: Usually every three to four months for periodontal maintenance. The interval reflects how quickly the bacteria in treated pockets re-establish in susceptible patients — stretching it to six months is one of the more common reasons treated disease relapses.
Is gum disease linked to other health conditions?: There’s a well-documented association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The relationship with diabetes runs both ways — poor blood sugar control worsens gum disease, and gum inflammation makes blood sugar harder to control. It’s a reason to treat it, not a reason to be alarmed.
Can I keep my teeth?: Usually, yes — even with significant bone loss. Teeth with far less support than you’d expect can be kept for many years with treatment and consistent maintenance. Some are genuinely beyond saving, and we’ll tell you plainly which those are rather than treating around them.

For detail on a specific treatment, see periodontal evaluation, scaling & root planing, pocket-reduction surgery, regenerative therapy, or periodontal maintenance.

Serving Austin & greater Austin

We treat patients from Austin, West Lake Hills, Rollingwood, Tarrytown, Clarksville, Hyde Park, Barton Hills, Zilker, Mueller, and across greater Austin. Our office is at 123 Example Boulevard, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78701, open Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Call (000) 000 0000 to schedule an evaluation. We also welcome patients and referrals from across Central Texas — see areas we serve.

Bleeding gums? Don’t wait

An early evaluation is the simplest way to protect your teeth. Request a consultation and we’ll assess your gums and recommend the most conservative effective treatment.

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This information is provided for educational purposes and is not a substitute for a professional evaluation. Diagnosis and treatment should always be determined by a qualified dental professional based on your individual condition.