Image: Colgate Pro Healthy Gums
At Luxdentic Dental Clinic, we deal with the treatment of gum disease, periodontium and oral mucosa.
The basis of treatment is prophylaxis and oral hygiene. This involves a proper brushing, as well as removal of plaque and tartar. Failure to perform these procedures may lead to gradually developing periodontosis. Then in the gums the pockets are formed, more and more revealing the tooth, causing its gradual loosening, and finally its falling out.
What is gum disease?
Gum disease means inflammation that can be spread to the bone that surrounds the teeth and supports them. It is caused by the accumulation of plaque, i.e. a bacterial raid that is constantly formed on our teeth. If the plaque is not removed by brushing and flossing, it accumulates on the teeth and in the interdental spaces, thus irritating the gums and causing them to swell.
When there is swelling, there is an empty space below the tooth, the so-called gingival pocket. It contains a bacterial plaque that increases the depth of the pouch, destroying the gum tissue and the bone that supports the teeth. This results in an increasing regression of the gums, and as a result, the unveiling and mobility of the tooth. In this situation it may be necessary to even remove the tooth by the dentist.
There are three stages of inflammatory gum disease:
- Gingivitis occurs when plaque is not removed by daily brushing and flossing, then the bacteria in the plate produce toxins that irritate the gum tissue, causing redness and swelling. Then you can notice bleeding during brushing and flossing. At this early stage of the disease, the changes are reversible, because the bone and connective tissue that hold the teeth are not yet covered by the disease process.
- Periodontitis is caused by prolonged plaque growth under the gumline. There, a gingival pocket is formed, which receives fragments of food and plaque accumulates, and over time tartar causing increased inflammation and bleeding of the gums. The stone pushes away the gums and causes them to be inaccurately adhered to the teeth, the gums begin to regress. Appropriate dental treatment and intensive home hygiene usually allow you to avoid further damage.
- Advanced periodontitis, or periodontitis, is a long-lasting, chronic and incurable period of periodontal disease. The essence of the disease is the loss of bones around the teeth, caused by the action of bacteria. It is an inflammation of the entire periodontium: gums, bones, periodontal fibers, which support the teeth. The tooth then loses support and begins to wobble. It can affect the occlusion. Sometimes, even intensive treatment can be ineffective and tooth removal is necessary.
How to recognize periodontal disease?
It can occur at any age, but it most often occurs in adults. Paradontosis is not a fully curable disease – current methods of treatment allow only to stop the disease process. That is why it is extremely important to quickly recognize and immediately start treatment to stop the development of the disease at an early stage. The first signs of periodontosis are visible on the X-ray pantomographic picture.
The doctor evaluating the picture can detect bone loss, much earlier than the patient himself will notice / feel the symptoms of the disease. Full-value diagnostics of periodontitis is a pantomographic picture with an in-depth periodontal examination (it is a probe that allows measuring the depth of periodontal pockets).
In very advanced cases, when the patient recognizes the disease by himself, unfortunately it is too late and he can not be cured. If the disease is detected at an early stage, tissue damage may be reversible.
Contact a dentist if you notice one of these symptoms:
- red, swollen or painful gums,
- bleeding gums during brushing and flossing,
- teeth look longer due to the regrowth of the gums,
- gums separate from the teeth, forming a pocket,
- changes in teeth matching when chewing,
- exudate exuding from between teeth and gums,
- constantly present halitosis or unpleasant taste in the mouth.
How is periodontal inflammatory disease treated?
- At an early stage, it is usually reversible due to proper brushing and flossing. Correct oral hygiene prevents the accumulation of plaque.
Professional teeth cleansing by a dentist or hygienist is the only way to remove plaque that has accumulated and hardened to form tartar. Your dentist or hygienist will clean your teeth by removing tartar over the gumline and under it. If the patient’s condition requires it, a tooth root polishing can be performed. This treatment helps smooth out irregularities in the roots of the tooth, which reduces the risk of plaque build-up.
Thanks to regular dental check-ups, inflammation can be treated at an early stage before it leads to a more serious condition.
The methods of treatment of gum disease used by us include:
- removal of plaque and tartar – scaling,
- splinting of loose teeth with fiberglass,
- removal of the affected epithelial pocket of the tooth,
- reconstruction of bone regeneration with bone substitute preparations,
- closed curettage – subgingival scaling and root polishing.