Bleeding Gums & Gum Disease in Westchester

If your gums bleed when you brush or floss, look swollen or puffy, feel itchy or sore, are pulling away from your teeth, or your breath keeps coming back bad, those are the symptoms patients in Westchester come to us with most — and they are common early signs of gum disease. Gum disease — periodontal disease — is an infection of the gums and the bone that hold your teeth in place. It is caused by bacterial plaque that builds up along and below the gumline, and it is one of the most common reasons adults lose teeth. It also has a quiet side: in its early stages it usually does not hurt, so many people have it for years without knowing. The good news is that gum disease can be treated and controlled, and the earlier it is caught, the more of your natural teeth and bone can be preserved. At PhD Dental in Westchester, at 6907 La Tijera Blvd, Suite A, Los Angeles, CA 90045, an exam with gum measurements and X-rays is how we tell where your gums stand — and if treatment is needed, we explain what we found, what we recommend and why, and what it will cost, before any work begins.

What causes gum disease?

The main cause is plaque — the soft bacterial film that forms on teeth every day. When plaque is not removed by brushing and flossing, it hardens into tartar (calculus), which only a professional cleaning can remove. Bacteria in plaque and tartar irritate the gums, and over time the infection can spread below the gumline, forming pockets between the tooth and the gum and slowly destroying the bone that supports the tooth. Some people develop gum disease more easily than others: smoking, diabetes that is not well controlled, a family history of gum disease, hormonal changes, dry mouth, and teeth that trap plaque because they are crowded or have rough, worn fillings all raise the risk. That is why two people with similar home care can have very different gums.

What are the symptoms of gum disease?

The symptoms patients notice most often are gums that bleed when they brush or floss, gums that look red, swollen, or puffy, gums that feel itchy or tender, bad breath that keeps coming back, gums pulling away from the teeth (recession — patients sometimes describe it as gum loss), and teeth that look longer than they used to. In later stages, teeth can feel loose or a bite can feel different. A bump or pimple on the gum can also be a sign of infection. None of these symptoms, on their own, tells you how advanced the disease is; some people with severe gum disease feel almost nothing. An exam is how we tell: the doctor measures the space between each tooth and the gum with a small ruler (this is called probing), and X-rays show how much bone is holding each tooth.

What is the difference between gingivitis and periodontitis?

Gingivitis is the early stage: the gums are inflamed — red, swollen, bleeding easily — but the bone underneath is still intact, and at this stage the damage can be reversed with professional cleaning and good home care. Periodontitis is the advanced stage: the infection has reached the bone, pockets have formed, and the bone that is lost does not grow back on its own. Periodontitis cannot be reversed, but it can be treated and controlled so it stops getting worse.

How is gum disease treated?

Treatment depends on how far the disease has gone, and treatment is recommended only when it is medically necessary, after an evaluation. The usual steps are:

• Regular professional cleaning for healthy gums and gingivitis — it removes plaque and tartar above the gumline. A professional cleaning, including fluoride, starts at $125.
• Deep cleaning (scaling and root planing) for periodontitis — it removes plaque and tartar from below the gumline and smooths the root surfaces so the gums can heal and reattach more closely to the tooth. This is a different visit from a regular cleaning, and it is recommended when an exam shows periodontal disease.
• Periodontal maintenance — after deep cleaning, our patients come back every three to four months for periodontal maintenance, because the bacteria that cause the disease build back up below the gumline. We emphasize this strongly: regular maintenance continues until you can maintain your gums well on your own and healing has taken place — and if your gum condition does not improve on maintenance, we escalate your care to our periodontist. Your exact interval within that rhythm is set by your dentist from your measurements and can vary with how your gums respond, but it is always more often than the twice-a-year routine cleaning schedule.
• Specialist periodontal care — our periodontist, Dr. Ori Levy, is a board-certified periodontist (Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology) with a DDS from UCLA and specialty training in periodontics; he has cared for PhD Dental patients for about fifteen years. He performs pocket-reduction (osseous) gum surgery when deep pockets remain after deep cleaning, gum grafting for receding gums, bone regeneration and guided tissue regeneration procedures, and he places dental implants for teeth that cannot be saved. Dr. Levy sees patients across our offices on scheduled days.
• Replacing a tooth that cannot be saved — most teeth with gum disease can be treated, but a tooth that has lost too much bone is sometimes better removed and replaced. Replacement options include dental implants, bridges, and dentures, and we give you a clear cost breakdown in writing before any work begins.

Does insurance cover gum disease treatment in Westchester?

PhD Dental is in network with Delta Dental at all eight offices. We also accept these PPO plans: Aetna PPO, MetLife PPO, Delta Dental PPO, Cigna PPO, Guardian PPO, UnitedHealthcare PPO, Anthem Blue Cross PPO, Blue Shield of California PPO, Humana PPO, Principal PPO, Ameritas PPO, United Concordia PPO, Sun Life PPO, Lincoln Financial PPO, Unum PPO, The Hartford PPO, Renaissance Dental PPO, Premier Access PPO, and Health Net PPO. Please note we do not accept any HMO plans at this time. Whatever your coverage, we verify your benefits and explain what your plan covers before treatment begins. Without insurance, a new-patient exam with a full set of X-rays costs $69 as a package, and we offer in-house payment plans and financing options so treatment costs can be spread over time.

We accept Medi-Cal. We accept Denti-Cal.

Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal cover deep cleaning when an exam shows periodontal disease. The sequence starts with that exam: many Medi-Cal procedures require pre-authorization, which we handle in-house and submit electronically for you as soon as the diagnosis is made — the plan makes the final decision, a decision typically takes about two to four weeks, and we let you know as soon as it comes back, before treatment begins.

What happens if gum disease is not treated?

Untreated periodontal disease keeps progressing quietly: pockets deepen, bone keeps shrinking, teeth loosen, and eventually teeth that could have been treated have to come out. Infection can also flare up as a painful abscess. Treating the disease earlier is simpler, less costly, and keeps more of your natural teeth — which is why bleeding or swollen gums are worth an exam even when nothing hurts.

Gum care in Westchester

Gum disease care is available at PhD Dental in Westchester, and every PhD Dental office provides periodontal care, from exams and cleanings to deep cleaning and maintenance. Our periodontist sees patients across our offices on scheduled days, so specialist care comes to the office near you. Our team is gentle and patient, and we explain each step before we start. New patients and walk-ins are welcome, patients in pain are a priority, and we do our best to see emergencies the same day. This office is not open on Saturdays; on Saturdays, our Inglewood office is open 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Our staff speaks English and Spanish.

Our closest neighbors — Ladera Heights, View Park-Windsor Hills, Hyde Park, and Lennox — are just minutes away, and we also see patients from Playa Vista, Leimert Park, Culver City, Mar Vista, Palms, Del Aire, and Hawthorne. From nearby cities we welcome patients from Playa del Rey, El Segundo, Marina del Rey, Mid-City, Westmont, Vermont Square, West Athens, Lawndale, Venice, Alondra Park, and Manhattan Beach.

Book gum disease care in Westchester

Call our Westchester office to start with an exam and a full set of x-rays for $69 without insurance — the exam and x-rays are a package and cannot be unbundled — or book online. Walk-ins are welcome.

• PhD Dental Westchester: 6907 La Tijera Blvd, Suite A, Los Angeles, CA 90045
• Call: (310) 893-6304
• Book online: Book an appointment
• Hours: Monday–Friday 9:30 AM–6:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday closed. This office is not open on Saturdays; on Saturdays, our Inglewood office is open 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.