Periodontal (Gum) Disease and What You Need To Know
Periodontal disease is a common but frequently overlooked health problem. When bacteria builds up in the mouth and wears away at the gums, it can cause serious pain and damage. Gum disease gets progressively worse over time, so early treatment is the best way to avoid bone damage or tooth loss. To keep your teeth and gums healthy, you should understand what periodontal disease is, what causes it, and what you can do to prevent it.
What Is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal disease is a condition caused by plaque that builds upon and around the teeth. Plaque contains millions of bacteria that can affect your body's tissue. When the bacteria start to migrate underneath your gums, it can lead to gingivitis, which is the first stage of gum disease. Gingivitis is characterized by inflammation, redness, bleeding, and swelling in the gums.
Gingivitis can be reversed with good oral hygiene habits. However, if the problem persists, it can lead to bone loss, tissue loss, and tooth loss. When gum disease progresses and causes permanent damage, it is called periodontitis.
What Is Periodontitis?
Periodontitis is the technical term for gum and bone disease. The term "peri" means around, the term "odont" means teeth, and the term "itis" means inflammation. Periodontitis is the inflammation and breakdown of the tissues that surround the teeth, including the gums, bones, and ligaments. Severe cases of periodontitis can lead to loss of teeth, bone, and soft tissue.
Factors That Increase Risk of Periodontitis
One of the most common causes of gum disease is poor oral hygiene habits. If you don't brush your teeth as often as you should and for as much time as you should, plaque can build up on your teeth and start affecting your gums. Flossing is a vital hygiene habit, too. Dental floss removes bacteria and plaque from between your teeth where your toothbrush cannot reach, and failing to floss regularly can potentially lead to gum damage.
Smoking is another common cause of periodontitis as it can affect the attachment of the soft tissue to the teeth. It can also impair blood flow to the gum tissue, which may make it difficult for the gums to heal from damage.
Other health conditions may increase your risk of gum disease, too. For example, people with uncontrolled diabetes are more likely to develop periodontitis because the condition can reduce blood flow to the gums. High blood sugar is also linked to dry mouth, which can lead to a buildup of bacteria in the mouth. Medical conditions and medication that cause immunosuppression, are risk factors for gum disease as well.
Why Worry?
Periodontitis is more common than most people realize. It is estimated that more than 47 percent of adults over 30 years of age have some degree of gum disease. Chronic periodontitis is one of the most common oral diseases, and it is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults.
Many people believe that gum disease is something that only affects older adults, but people of all ages develop periodontitis. The disease is mostly painless, especially in the early stages when it is still reversible, so people sometimes go a long time without being diagnosed. In many cases, when people finally seek treatment, gum disease has already caused extensive damage.
Periodontitis is also linked to many other systemic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Some experts believe that the inflammation caused by gum disease is responsible for the association.
How to Prevent Periodontal Disease (Gum Disease)
The best way to prevent periodontal disease is to practice good oral hygiene. You should brush your teeth for two minutes twice per day. It's also important to use good brushing technique as improper brushing can cause even more damage to your teeth and gums. Move the toothbrush in small circles instead of scrubbing back and forth across your teeth. Make sure to gently brush your tongue as well as your teeth.
Flossing is essential for keeping your teeth and gums healthy. You should floss at least once per day to remove plaque and bacteria from in between your teeth. Other oral hygiene tools, such as mouth rinses, Waterpik flosses, and sugar-free gum, can help you maintain your oral health, too.
Visiting your dentist regularly for checkups and deep teeth cleanings can greatly reduce your risk of periodontitis. Your dentist has special equipment to perform thorough periodontal teeth cleaning, which can remove even more plaque than brushing and flossing at home. Your dentist will also look for early signs of gum disease and give you recommendations on how to improve your oral hygiene.
Do I Have the Disease?
If you're worried about periodontitis, you can stay alert for the common signs and symptoms. Periodontitis often causes swollen, puffy, or bleeding gums. Your gums may also look red or purple, and you may notice that your teeth shift around or feel loose. Chronic bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth may be a sign of gum disease as well.
How to Diagnose
A dentist or periodontist can diagnose gum disease by performing a clinical evaluation and reviewing your medical and dental history. If your dentist sees signs of gum disease, they may perform a radiography exam or other tests to determine the extent of the damage.
After diagnosing the disease, your dentist will recommend a periodontal disease treatment plan. Treatments may include improving your dental hygiene, taking antibiotics, undergoing surgery to repair your gums or a number of other solutions.
How to Control Periodontal Disease
The treatment for periodontal disease varies depending on the severity of the case. Severe cases of periodontitis may require emergency treatment right away to repair the gums and prevent tooth or bone loss.
The first phase of treatment is a non-surgical intervention. This involves periodontal deep teeth cleaning to remove the plaque and bacteria that is causing gum damage. Then, the dentist will re-evaluate the teeth and gums to determine which treatment phase is needed next.
The following phases have to do with surgical interventions for correction or restoring gum and overall oral health.
The last phase is maintenance. It is essential to follow good oral hygiene habits and make any necessary lifestyle changes to prevent gum disease from returning and causing more damage. Fortunately, if you receive the right treatments and maintain good dental habits, you can improve your gum health and prevent further damage.
At Monterey Periodontics Center, Dr Warda and the team take all necessary steps to bring each individual to a clinically healthy state using a personalized approach to therapy. They strongly believe in following all phases with a strong focus on conservative measures.
If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us.