Periodontal diseases are not an unusual form of the disease. Almost 47.2 percent of adults in the age group of thirty years and above have some form of such kind of diease.
What’s interesting about this disease is that it increases with age. 70.1% of adults around the age group of sixty-five years and above have such ailments.
Now here’s the question that you should ask yourself. Have you ever had sore or bleeding gums?
Periodontitis caused by an infection and inflammation of the gums, ligaments, and bone that encloses your teeth.
It’s crucial to understand the causes, treatments, and measures that you should take to avoid gum disease so that you can preserve your oral as well as overall health.
Overview of Periodontal Disease?
It is commonly known as gum disease is an infection of the tissues that support the teeth and hold them in place.
Periodontal disease is caused primarily by infections and inflammation of the gums and bone that encloses and supports the teeth.
In its early stages, known as gingivitis, the gums can become inflamed, which leads to bleeding gums.
Periodontitis is a more serious form of gingivitis in which the gums disengage from the tooth.
Adults are the ones that are most commonly affected by such disease. The two most serious threats to dental health are periodontal disease and tooth decay.
It’s usually caused by poor brushing and flossing habits, which allow plaque (a sticky film of bacteria) to develop, thicken and solidify on the teeth.
This oral disease, in its mature stage, can cause sore, bleeding gums, painful chewing problems, and even tooth loss. Hence, periodontitis, if left untreated may also increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other health problems along with tooth loss.
Causes of periodontal diseases
Although you cannot see, feel, or taste them, your mouth is home to entire colonies of microorganisms.
While many of these tiny oral bacteria that dwell in your mouth are harmless, there are a few that are disease-causing and are a threat to our oral as well as overall health.
These bacteria lives in our mouths. They, along with mucus and other particles, form a sticky, colourless “plaque” on teeth all the time. Brushing and flossing aid in the removal of plaque.
Plaque that is not removed for a long time can harden and form “tartar,” which brushing fails to eliminate. Tartar can only be removed by professional cleaning by a dental professional or a dental hygienist.
There are several risk factors for gum disease, the most remarkable of which is smoking. Smoking can also end up making gum disease treatment less effective.
Diabetes, hormonal changes in girls and women, medications that reduce saliva flow, specified illnesses, such as AIDS, and their medications, and genetic predisposition are all major risk factors.
Symptoms of periodontal diseases
Some prominent symptoms of periodontal diseases are as follows:
- Bad breath that refuses to go away
- Gums that are red or swelled up
- Gums that are soft and tender or bleeding
- Chewing is excruciating
- Teeth that are loose
- Sensitivity in teeth
- Shrinking gums or teeth that appear longer
It is advised to immediately fix an appointment with a dental hygienist for an examination if you recognise any of the above symptoms.
They will investigate your gums with a dental probe to detect any kind of infection in your gums.
They may also take new X-rays to compare to previous ones and recognise any unwanted changes in your teeth or bones.
If a specialist referral is required, your dentist will recommend you to see a periodontist.
Knowing the risk factors and their prevention
Since periodontitis and advanced stages of periodontal disease cannot be unfortunately undone, it is crucial to create a preventive healthcare routine before the condition worsens.
Brushing and flossing your teeth on a daily basis, (provided it’s being done correctly), will eliminate plaque from your teeth and prevent any further formation.
Interdental brushes and water flossers may also be beneficial in removing plaque from between the teeth. It is also suggested that you see your dentist every six months for a professional cleaning to remove plaque and tartar from hard-to-access areas.
If you already are a patient of periodontal disease, your dentist or periodontist may advise you to visit more frequently and follow a more aggressive treatment plan.
It is is made more likely by the following factors:
- Diabetes Caused by Smoking
- Inadequate oral hygiene
- Stress
- issues
- Genetics
- teeth that are crooked or crowded
- Underlying immunodeficiency such as AIDS
- Fillings that have deteriorated
- Taking drugs that cause dry mouth
- Bridges that are no longer a good fit
- Changes in female hormones, such as those associated with pregnancy or the use of oral contraceptives
The treatment process
The primary goal of treatment is to keep the infection under control. Based on the seriousness of the gum disease, the number and types of treatments will vary.
Any type of treatment necessitates the patient maintaining good oral care on a daily basis at home. The dentist may also advise you to change certain behaviours, such as quitting smoking, in order to improve the outcome of your treatment.
Maintaining good oral hygiene
Even though your teeth and gums are healthy, good oral hygiene should be practiced on a daily basis to keep any kind of infections at bay. Brushing teeth at least twice a day and flossing once a day constitutes proper dental care.
An interdental brush is highly suggested if there is enough space between the teeth. When the space between the teeth is small, soft-picks can be used.
Patients with arthritis and those with dexterity issues may find that an electric toothbrush provides more thorough cleaning. Periodontitis is a long-term inflammatory disease of the gums. It will reoccur if proper oral hygiene is not maintained.
Scaling, cleaning, and root planing
To restore periodontal health, plaque and calculus must be eliminated. Scaling and debridement will be performed by a dental professional to clean below the gumline.
Hand tools or an ultrasonic device that breaks up the plaque and calculus can be used to accomplish this.
Root planing is used to smooth rough areas on the teeth’ roots. Bacteria can become trapped within the rough patches, increasing the likelihood of gum disease.
Depending on the amount of plaque and calculus, this may require one or two visits. Cleaning is usually advised twice a year, and conceivably more frequently depending on the amount of plaque that accumulates in your teeth.
Drugs and medications for Periodontal disease
There are a variety of medicated mouthwashes and other treatments available.
Chlorhexidine, a prescription antimicrobial mouth rinse: This is effective for controlling bacteria during gum disease treatment and after surgery. Patients apply it to their teeth as they would any other mouthwash.
Antiseptic chip: An antiseptic chip is a small piece of gelatin containing chlorhexidine. It controls bacteria and reduces the size of periodontal pockets. It is inserted into the pockets following root planing. Over time, the medication is gradually resealed.
Antibiotic microspheres: Post scaling and root planing, very tiny particles which include the antibiotic minocycline are placed into pockets. This gradually releasing medication is also used to decrease periodontal pocket size and control bacteria.
Enzyme suppressant: A low dose of doxycycline is used to keep deleterious enzymes in control. Although some enzymes can break down gum tissue, this medication can cause the body’s enzyme response to be delayed. It is taken orally as a pill and is used in conjunction with scaling and root planing.
Oral antibiotics: These are orally ingested and are available in capsule or tablet form. They are used in the short term to treat a severe or locally persistent periodontal infection.
In cases of advanced periodontital disease
If good oral hygiene and non-surgical treatments fail to work, in that case surgical intervention might be inevitable. This includes the following options:
Flap surgery: Flap surgery is performed by a healthcare professional to remove calculus from deep pockets or to reduce the pocket so that cleaning it is easier. The tarter is removed after the gums are lifted back.
The gums are then sutured back into place so that they are as close to the tooth as possible. Following surgery, the gums will heal and form a tight fit around the tooth. In some cases, the teeth may appear to be longer than they were previously.
Bone and tissue grafts: This procedure aids in the regeneration of destroyed bone or gum tissue. In order to promote bone growth, new natural or synthetic bone is placed where the bone was lost.
GTR is a surgical process that requires barrier membranes to initiate the growth of new bone and gum tissue at sites where one or both are missing. Its goal is to resurrect tissue and repair defects caused by periodontitis.
A small piece of mesh-like material is inserted between the gum tissue and bone during this method. This prevents the gum from developing into bone space, allowing the bone and connective tissue to regenerate.
The dentist may also use special proteins, known as growth factors, to assist the body in naturally regrowing bone.
A soft tissue graft may be suggested by the dentist. Taking tissue from another part of the mouth or using synthetic material to cover exposed tooth roots are both options.
Success is determined by the stage of the disease, the patient’s adherence to a good oral hygiene program, and other factors such as if the patient is a smoker, if yes then how much does he smoke.
Final words
All said and done, finally, it can be concluded that it is absolutely essential to treat periodontal disease as soon as possible.
Scheduling regular check-ups and cleanings, as well as practicing good, daily oral hygiene habits can help prevent periodontal disease and/or at least slow its progression