Understanding Periodontal Disease

Millions of people pay regular visits to their dentist each year to have their teeth cleaned and examined. A dentist’s job is to maintain the condition of their patients’ teeth and gums, and combat the conditions that can put normally healthy teeth at risk. One of the primary efforts of a dental hygienist is to ensure their patients do not get gingivitis, which is a bacterial infection and inflammation of the gum tissue.

Teeth are living organisms and are full of blood and lymphatic tissue as well as nerve endings. The gums surrounding the teeth and the bones supporting the teeth from beneath can also be affected by poor oral hygiene.

The roots of a tooth become vulnerable to bacterial infection and degeneration when the supporting bone and gum tissues are compromised. When this happens pus and fluid may build up between the gum and the tooth.

Lack of proper oral hygiene is usually the biggest single mitigating factor in periodontal disease, but there are other circumstances can adversely affect the health of teeth and gums, like diabetes or renal problems, medication with negative side effects, habitual teeth grinding or clenching, and hormonal or chemical changes that alter the mouth’s condition.

To address gum disease, a patient must first understand any underlying causes, and make changes where necessary. Regardless, a course of therapy should be started right away to rectify the damage already sustained and prevent any further damage. To start, a dentist will assess and address the daily removal of plaque, which can include brushing, flossing and antibiotic rinses.

Next, the dentist will focus on removing tartar build-up from along the gum-line.

When supporting bone (periodontal bone) has already been affected, there are a range of measures, such as soft and/or hard tissue grafting (gum and bone) and laser treatments, which can be employed to reduce the magnitude of the space between the gum tissues and the tooth.

If a tooth is subsequently lost, the jaw will weaken and may result in other problems. Gum disease has been connected to the development of such medical conditions as heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

Your investment in the treatment and maintenance of your teeth will result in better general wellbeing and good health.