Gum Disease
Gum disease (periodontal disease or
periodontitis) is an insidious disease that
attacks the supporting structures of the teeth.
You can have great teeth, no cavities, and yet
lose them to gum disease as you age. This is the
primary reason that you need to stay regular
with your dental visits. Most people after 40
who lose their teeth lose them to periodontal
disease. Take it seriously!
The warning signs of gum disease If you notice any of the following signs, you
probably have gum disease and need treatment:
- Gums that bleed easily.
- Red, swollen or tender gingiva.
- Gums that have pulled away from the teeth.
- Pus between the teeth and gingiva, when the
gingiva is pressed.
- Persistent bad breath or bad taste.
- Permanent teeth those are loose or separating.
- Any change in the way your teeth fit together
when you bite.
- Any change in the fit of partial dentures.
What is periodontitis?
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease,
only it causes the supporting structures of your
teeth to dissolve away. It can go on for years
before you ever notice any symptoms, and the
first symptom may be loose teeth. If you wait
until you have symptoms, it may be too late to
treat the disease and you may have to just have
your teeth extracted.
Treatment for gum disease - At first, you need to get a deep cleaning,
called "scaling" or "root debridement" that goes
under your gum and removes all of the calculus
(tartar) and microbial debris from the tooth
surface. This cleaning is usually spaced out
over two to five appointments, and is done with
anesthetic.
- The initial treatment may also include some
medications. Periodontitis is responding to
light doses of antibiotic to help resist the
bone destruction and also antimicrobial
irrigation under the gums.
- You will need to have great home care
habits, and a professional tooth cleaning more
often. Rather than having this done every six
months, you will now need to have it done every
three months. Additionally, more time will need
to be allotted for this cleaning, and your
hygienist will have to have more than the
ordinary level of expertise to handle your case.
Gum Disease
