You won’t be the only person to have Periodontitis disease, if informed. Millions of people suffer from the Gum disease, the severity for which varies from person to person and depends on how soon the treatment started. The worse case is loosing of teeth.
Gum disease is the inflammation of the gums which can further progress to affecting jaw bone, surrounding and supporting your teeth. Gum disease is caused by bacteria that are constantly formed in plaque, sticky, and colorless film on the teeth.
If proper hygiene is not followed and not removed through daily flossing and brushing, plaque can build up ever more and the bacteria can infect the gums. The major infection is of gum tissue and bone supporting the teeth. Eventually the tooth becomes loose and falls out or has to be removed by a dentist.
Gum disease is a painful process, especially when it reaches further stages. Gum disease has three stages, if left untreated:
Gingivitis-This is the mildest form of Periodontitis disease, point where things can be controlled smoothly. The gums become swollen, red, and bleed often. This is the earliest stage of this disease where there is no discomfort and is caused due to inadequate and improper oral hygiene.
Other factors that can cause Gingivitis include: smoking, diabetes, stress, aging, systemic disease, genetic predisposition, puberty, inadequate nutrition, substance abuse, pregnancy, hormonal fluctuations, HIV infection, and consistent medication usage.
Periodontitis– Gingivitis that goes untreated progresses into Periodontitis. The plaque spreads by growing below the gum and the toxins produced by bacteria in plaque, irritate the gum. The toxins are very dangerous and result in chronic inflammatory response where the bone and tissues that support the teeth are destroyed and broken down.
When this happens, the gums separate from the teeth, forming sacs where the infection resides. The disease can further progress, forming deeper pockets, destroying more bone and tissue. The destructive process has very normal symptoms and the tooth can even become loose and may have to be removed.
Periodontitis further has types, while the most common ones are as follows:
Aggressive Periodontitis – It takes place in patients that are clinically healthy otherwise. It’s known as aggressive because of rapid loss and destruction of bone and familial aggregation.
Chronic Periodontitis – It approaches when the supporting tissues of teeth have inflammation and results in progressive bone loss and attachment. It’s most common and features recession of gingival and pocket formation. Progression of attachment loss normally takes place gradually while rapid progression can occur.
Periodontitis as a symptom for systemic disease begins at a very young age. Systemic diseases include; respiratory disease, heart disease, as well as diabetes.
Necrotizing Periodontitis disease is a severe infection featured further by necrosis of gingival tissues, alveolar bone, and periodontal ligament. The individuals that have systemic conditions as malnutrition, HIV infection, or immune suppression have these lesions more commonly.
Symptoms of Gum/ Periodontitis Disease:
Gum disease can take a start without noticeable symptoms, however there are few that you will notice. They are:
- Red or swollen gums
- Bleeding gums (during routine brushing or flossing)
- Sensitivity of gums
- Gum tissue recession
- Pus in the gum line
- Persistent bad breath
Never delay if you see any of the following symptoms, consult your dentist as soon as you can.
Periodontitis Disease Treatment:
When gingivitis is taken care of at initial stages, the treatment stays at getting teeth cleaned professionally more often than routine. If the condition is not controlled and it proceeds into periodontitis, the treatment complicated, involving procedures as:
- Scaling and Root planning-This is a deep cleaning procedure that removes tartar and plaque from the gum line. It can be performed under local anesthetics.
- Gum Surgery- Gingivectomy is the process of removing infected tissue from below the gum line. It also involves scaling the roots of teeth and if pockets are greater than 5 millimeters, than gum grafting of recessed tissue takes place.
- Regenerative Methods- Such treatments can reverse the tissue and bone damage. In this procedure the affected area is opened up to remove infection. A bone graft, tissue stimulating protein, or a membrane is then placed which encourages regeneration.
The treatment can become more invasive if the gum disease goes untreated, even at stages where treatment has to be compulsory. Practice prevention in order to avoid surgery. The better you care, diet, hygiene, the better is your health.
Prevention of Periodontitis Disease:
The greatest enemy for any dental disease, especially for periodontal disease is regular oral cleaning. Brushing and flossing the teeth removes food particles and plaque from the mouth. Mouth has a great variety of bacteria, were the ones generating toxins can proof to be very dangerous. Keeping a good oral hygiene ensures the removal of all harmful bacteria.
Once in awhile try massaging your gums; this will increase the blood flow to the tissue. Brushing is vital, and so is the duration- brush your teeth for 2 minutes to the minimum, while cleaning all tooth surfaces. Your dentist is your best guide for the kind of toothbrush you require for proper flossing process.
Along with cleaning and hygiene, regular visits to the dentist are also essential for protecting from any gum disease what so ever. Your gums and tissues will be evaluated by your dentist, he will even measure the pockets formed, so that early detection can be made for gum disease warning signs.
Teeth are important and so are gums, taking proper care of your gums is crucial for a long term health of your mouth. Most of the adults lose teeth due to gum diseases, if you want to avoid that stage or any early painful process-keep a very close track of regular oral hygiene and oral health. You will never suffer this energy drenching condition, if your know how to tackle the game.
Author Bio:
Addison Dolan is known as working as Content Strategist; her interest is to write about medicine and technology and she has written around 300 articles. Her goal is to educate people about various health conditions, beauty and Dental surgery. She is a passionate writer.