Nov 01, 2020
The gum houses the roots of your teeth. The dentine is the outer visible part of the teeth, and the roots are embedded in the gums. Infections can destroy the jawbone if not treated in due time. The gum disease can be detrimental, and if not treated timely, might cause permanent teeth loss.
What is Periodontitis?
Poor oral hygiene can cause periodontitis, an infection of the gum that can be severe and might have detrimental effects. Periodontitis affects the tissues of your jaw that hold the teeth in place. Poor brushing or flossing techniques might lead to infection. The accumulation of plaque forms a permanent hard covering called tartar. The tartar and plaque are breeding grounds of bacteria. This sticky film needs to be removed from the teeth to reduce the chances of gum infection.
The primary cause of periodontal diseases is bacteria. Smoking is another predominant factor for causing periodontitis. Diabetes, genetic or hormonal changes, and medication to treat certain diseases as AIDS can also cause periodontitis. Periodontics focuses on dealing with periodontal treatment.
Periodontal diseases can be differentiated into gingivitis, slight periodontal disease, moderate periodontal disease, and advanced periodontal disease. Gingivitis is the primary stage of gum infection and can be treated. Advanced periodontal disease might need surgical treatment. If left untreated, gum infection might damage the bone of the jaws.
Symptoms of Periodontitis
The symptoms of gum infection depend on the stage of the disease, but the primary symptoms include:
- Bad breath.
- Receding gums.
- Bleeding from the gums while brushing or flossing.
- Loose tooth, or change in position of the teeth.
- Intense pain while chewing.
- Foul taste in the mouth.
- Inflammatory sensation all along the body.
- Accumulation of plaque and tartar in the mouth.
- Red or swollen gums.
- Tender gums.
The symptoms of the primary stage of periodontitis are not noticeable, and the dentist would be the only person to spot such symptoms. M2 Dental in Vancouver has a pool of experienced dentists to treat periodontitis. They have immense experience to assess the symptoms and can treat accordingly. With fifteen years of unblemished record, you can book an appointment and know how to reduce the risk factors contributing to gum infection.
Diagnosis of Periodontitis, the dentist might start reviewing your medical history to identify any contributing factor to gum infection. Smoking or taking certain medicines to dry the mouth can contribute to periodontitis.
You can also look for the accumulation of plaque and tartar as these are thriving ground for bacteria. You can also look for traces of blood while you brush or floss your teeth. The dentist might administer a dental x-ray to determine the underlying condition of the jawbones. The groove dimension between your gum and teeth, or the size of dental pockets, can decide whether you have periodontitis.
Treatment of Periodontitis
The primary treatment of gum infection is maintaining oral hygiene. The goal of the dentist is to clean the dental pockets and eliminate the chances of infection. The non-surgical treatments include.
#1: Scaling
Scaling involves scraping off the accumulated tartar from the outer surface of teeth using instruments, laser, or ultrasonic devices. The gum also needs to be cleaned of tartar.
#2: Root Planning
Root planning is smoothening the root surfaces to discourage the further accumulation of tartar and preventing bacterial activity. The bacterial byproducts might contribute to inflammation and infection of the gums.
#3: Antibiotics
Oral or topical antibiotics can help reduce bacterial activity. The antibiotics may be incorporated through mouth rinses or insertion gels between the teeth and gums or dental pockets.
#4: Flap Surgery
Also known as pocket-size reduction surgery, the dental surgeons make a tiny insertion in your gum to lift back a gum tissue section. Since periodontitis affects the jawbones, the underlying bones may be recontoured to suture the gum tissues back in place.
#5: Bone and Tissue Graft
This is administered by the dentist to regenerate the destroyed gum tissues or jawbones. When the bone cannot be regenerated, the synthetic bone might be used. Guided tissue regeneration is a surgical procedure that uses barrier membranes to help to regenerate the lost bones.
Soft tissue may also be grafted by taking tissue from one part of the mouth to replace the degenerated gum tissues.
Now that you have an idea of how periodontitis can be treated, it is time to visit a dentist. At M2 Dental, our professional staff is available to help you with your dental issues. Contact us now for a consultation.