Prevention of the Occurrence and Effective Treatments for Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection affecting the gums and bone supporting the teeth which can be limited to only a tooth, or all of the teeth. This occurs when bacterial plaque on the teeth causes the gums to be irritated and inflamed. A film that forms on the teeth called plaque is a glue-like substance that helps the bacteria to stick on it. The mildest form of gum disease, when readily detected; can be reversible with professional dental cleaning and good oral hygiene.
Dental care and oral hygiene is often taken for granted by many people. They still need to be shown what to do in order to get the most benefit from their brushing, as well as for flossing. They need to be taught that brushing should be done at least twice daily, preferably after meals and before bedtime. Flossing should also be done right after brushing, to remove the food particles left after brushing. Mouth rinses are also a must especially after meals when brushing is not possible.
Gingivitis, when left untreated; can develop into periodontitis. Bacterial plaque spreading below the gum line will produce toxins causing chronic irritation in the gums and bone. Because of this, the gums and supporting bones of the teeth break down and become damaged. When the bones around the teeth are damaged, the space between the gums and teeth deepens or recedes; and the disease with develop faster. Mild symptoms accompany the disease so that many people are unaware that a serious problem is developing. That is why it is advised that early signs, when noticed must be referred immediately to a dentist. The signs of gum disease are bright red and swollen gums, tender and bleeding gums, shrinking gums and loose teeth, and bad breath and pus around the teeth.
Gum disease and loose teeth often go together and are related. Though periodontal disease is attributed to bacterial plaque, other factors make it more likely for you to contract the disease. With tobacco use, smokers have more gum disease and are more likely to lose their teeth. Smoking is also a risk factor in the development of oral cancer.
Scaling and root planing is a common gum procedure employed to clean the hard and soft deposits above and below the gum line. This is performed by your dentist and at the same time, he may prescribe various antimicrobial agents applied in the space between the gums and tooth to help fight the bacteria and speed up the healing.
For patients whose condition has severely altered the placement of the gum and supporting bones, several surgical therapies are often recommended. Depending on the gravity of the disease, new bone and gum may be grafted in localized sites to treat the condition. When there is already tooth loss, dental implants may be utilized to replace the loss. Cosmetic surgery is also utilized as procedures. For people who have the problem of showing too much gum when they smile, called gummy smile, oral surgery can help by reshaping the gum. Other patients with irregular line of gum, or those with gum recession can also be remedied with various techniques to restore missing gum tissue. Aside from