When people think of oral hygiene, they
tend to think of their teeth and neglect their gums. However, gum disease
is a major reason why people lose their teeth. When gum disease
progresses, the gums pull away from the teeth and an infection begins to
destroy the bone that holds the teeth in place.
If allowed to progress to this point, surgery is
often necessary to save the teeth. Since gum disease is often painless,
many people are unaware that they have a problem. That's why it is
important to be aware of the symptoms:
-
Bleeding when you brush or floss
-
Red, swollen, or tender gums
-
Gum recession, which makes the teeth
look longer
-
Pus between the teeth and gums (appears
when gums are pressed)
-
Loose teeth
-
Teeth moving away from one another
-
Changes in the way upper and lower teeth
fit together
Do you have periodontal (gum)
disease?
Periodontal disease is a bacterial
infection that is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Recent studies
have linked periodontal disease to heart disease and premature babies. It
is virtually painless and, by the time you are aware of it, your gums and
bone could be severely affected.
Some of the warning signs are:
-
Gums that bleed easily.
-
Red, swollen, and tender gums.
-
Permanent teeth that are loose or
separating.
Prevention and early treatment are
imperative. Periodontal disease can be treated non-surgically. A new
non-surgical technique, which involves inserting antiseptics and
antibiotics into the periodontal pocket, has shown extremely promising
results. This is almost always done without injections and is extremely
well tolerated.
Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy:
Non-surgical therapy removes plaque and
calculus by controlling the growth of harmful bacteria and by treating
conditions that encourage gum disease. This type of treatment may be all
that's needed, especially when periodontal disease is caught early. You
may also need to have certain procedures, such as replacing worn fillings
or crowns with overhanging margins that can accumulate plaque, taken care
of before periodontal therapy can begin.
Scaling and Root
Planing:
Scaling is a type of cleaning that removes
plaque and calculus from the teeth at and slightly below the gum line. Root
planing smoothes root surfaces, so the supportive tissues can better
reattach to the tooth surface. Often, this will be done with local
anesthesia so you can relax and feel nothing as we rehabilitate your gums.
Antibiotics:
Periodontal disease is a bacterial disease
and the key to controlling or eliminating it is the effective reduction or
elimination of the harmful bacteria. An adjunctive option to scaling and
root planing may be provided in either pill form or applied directly to
the infected area (gum pocket) in the form of antibiotic powder. An
antibacterial mouth rinse also may be prescribed to help control the
harmful effects of and reduce bacterial plaque.
Occlusal
(Bite) Adjustment:
An improper bite or a traumatic occlusion
may increase bone destruction attached to such offending teeth. We may
either choose to adjust your bite so that your teeth meet properly and
function better or construct a custom bite guard or splint- a removable
device that fits over upper or lower teeth - to protect teeth surfaces and
relax tense jaw muscles.
Surgical Periodontal Therapy:
In situations where the patient's
periodontal disease is in more advanced stages, or the gum tissue does not
respond favorably to non-surgical therapy, gum surgery may be
recommended, This involves patient referral to a gum specialist,
called a periodontist. It is the goal of our office to avoid
recommending periodontal surgery unless there is a very clear long-term
benefit expected.
