Protect your gums Gum Disease

Treating gum disease in Encino

Healthy gums are your body's front line against bacteria — and when they break down, the effects reach far beyond your mouth. At Farzad Dental in Encino, we catch gum disease early and treat it thoroughly, from routine cleanings to advanced periodontal therapy, so you keep your teeth and protect your overall health.

Gum disease starts quietly, which is exactly what makes it dangerous. The earliest stage, gingivitis, shows up as redness, swelling, tenderness and a little bleeding when you brush or floss — signs that are easy to brush off as normal. They aren't. That bleeding is your body reacting to the bacteria in plaque and hardened tartar building up along the gumline. Caught here, gum disease is very treatable, often with nothing more than a thorough cleaning and better home care. This is why Dr. Philip Farzad urges patients across Encino, Sherman Oaks and the San Fernando Valley not to wait once they notice the first symptoms.

The root cause is bacterial plaque that isn't fully removed each day. It hardens into tartar that only a professional can take off, and the longer it sits, the deeper the inflammation goes. Left untreated, gingivitis advances to periodontitis: the gums pull away from the teeth, forming pockets that trap even more bacteria, and the bone that anchors your teeth begins to erode. Over time this leads to gum recession, loose teeth and, eventually, tooth loss. Because the process is largely painless until it's advanced, many people don't realize how far it has progressed.

There is a whole-body reason to take it seriously, too. Advanced gum disease has been linked in research to heart disease, diabetes and stroke, because the same bacteria that inflame your gums can enter the bloodstream and raise inflammation elsewhere in the body. Keeping your gums healthy is one of the simplest things you can do for your long-term health. At Farzad Dental, treatment is matched to the stage of disease — from deep cleanings (scaling and root planing) that clear bacteria below the gumline, to advanced regenerative options like our minimally invasive pinhole gum rejuvenation for receded tissue.

Prevention is genuinely within your control. Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, using gentle circular strokes right at the gumline where plaque collects. Floss every single day to reach the surfaces a brush can't. Keep up regular checkups and professional cleanings — most patients do well every four to six months — and avoid tobacco, which is one of the biggest risk factors for gum disease. We care for families at our Encino office at 16661 Ventura Blvd, Suite 815 (91436) and at our Palmdale office serving the Antelope Valley, and we accept most PPO insurance. If your gums bleed, feel sore or look like they're receding, come in and let us take a look.