HEALTHY GUMS, HEALTHY TEETH, HEALTHY SMILE.
Gum disease, known as periodontal disease, is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth. It is a serious inflammatory disorder that, if left untreated, can lead to lose teeth and even tooth loss.
Some of the factors that may contribute to gingivitis include:
- Poor oral hygiene
- Smoking
- Ageing
- Genetic predisposition
- Systemic diseases and conditions such as diabetes or HIV
- Stress
- Inadequate nutrition
- Puberty
- Hormonal fluctuations
- Pregnancy
- Substance abuse
- Certain medication use
While it is possible to have periodontal disease and not know it, some symptoms can include:
- Gums that bleed easily
- Red, swollen, tender gums
- Gums that have pulled away from the teeth
- Persistent bad breath or bad taste
- Pus between your teeth and gums
- Permanent teeth that are loose or separating
- Any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
- Any change in the fit of partial dentures
PERIODONTAL DISEASE PREVENTION
Preventing periodontal disease is as simple as brushing and flossing daily and visiting Dr Parmar or Dr Shah, at least twice a year for a general dental checkup and cleaning.
TREATING PERIODONTAL DISEASE
Untreated gingivitis can advance to next stage called periodontitis. With time, plaque can spread and grow below your gum line. Toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque over accumulated calculus also known as tartar can irritate the gums. Those toxins also stimulate a chronic inflammatory response in which the body in essence turns on itself, and the gums and bone that support the teeth are broken down and destroyed. Gums can separate from the teeth, forming pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums) that become infected and discharge pus giving a bad breath called as halitosis. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Often, this destructive process has very mild symptoms. Eventually, teeth can become loose and may have to be removed.
The first step to combat periodontal disease is to schedule an appointment with Dr. Parmar or Dr. Shah at our Pacific SmileKrafters dental office. There are a variety of treatment options depending on the details of your situation and the severity of the problem.
NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT
The first line of defense against gum disease is a unique type of cleaning called “scaling and root planing.” In this procedure, an ultrasonic cleaning device is used to remove plaque and calculus also known as tartar from your teeth where regular cleaning devices such as toothbrush can’t reach: under the gum line, on the tooth, and around the root. Then, the rough surface of the tooth and the root are smoothed out (planed). This provides a healthy, clean surface that makes it easier for the gum tissue to reattach to the tooth.
If you address your gum disease before it becomes severe, scaling and root planing may be the only treatment you need. However, as with any dental procedure, after-care is vital. In order to keep your teeth in good shape and resist future occurrences of gum disease, you must brush and floss daily, eat a healthy diet, avoid tobacco use, and have regular dental checkups at our Pacific Beach office. Even after a successful scaling and root planing, if you don’t clean your teeth properly, it’s quite likely that you’ll develop gum disease again.
SURGICAL TREATMENT OPTIONS
If the tissue or bone surrounding your teeth is too damaged to be repaired with non-surgical treatment, several surgical procedures are available to prevent severe damage and to restore a healthy smile. Dr. Parmar or Dr. Shah will recommend the procedure that is best suited to the condition of your teeth and gums and provide a necessary referral to the right specialist.