HEALTH - PERIODONTAL
Periodontal disease (also called periodontitis or gum disease) is a bacterial infection that destroys the supporting structures that hold your teeth in place. Your gums are the first line of defense against bacterial infection, but once the infection has broken through them it will begin to attack the ligaments and bone that hold the teeth in the mouth. It is in this stage of periodontitis that loss of bone due to bacterial erosion can occur, which will then cause the pocket (space between the gum and tooth) to grow deeper and wider. Left untreated, this disease can lead to costly and painful procedures such as gum grafts, bone grafts, and ultimately tooth loss.
SymptomsSwollen gums
Bright red or purplish gums
Gums that feel tender when touched
Gums that pull away from your teeth (recede), making your teeth look longer than normal
New spaces developing between your teeth
Pus between your teeth and gums
Bad breath
Bad taste in your mouth
Loose teeth
A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
Treatment
In the earlier stages of the disease, most of the treatment involves root planning and curettage (cleaning) under the gum margins. It involves the removal of plaque and inflamed soft tissue in the pockets around the tooth with an instrument called a curette. Its purpose is to remove the bacterial colonies and the mechanical and chemical irritants that cause inflammation in hopes that the disease can be eradicated. The goal is that the gum will reattach itself to the tooth or will shrink enough to eliminate the pocket. In most early cases, root planning, curettage, and proper daily plaque removal are all that are required for a satisfactory result. In more advanced cases, the treatment may become more complex. If after removal of the deposits, fairly deep pockets remain, they can be eliminated by a minor surgical procedure called gingivectomy. This is done under local anesthesia, and a medicinal dressing is placed to cover the wound area for a week or so while it heals. A similar procedure, called gingivoplasty, is used to remove excessive gum tissue and to provide a new and healthier shape for the gums. In some cases, flap procedures are performed. The gum tissue in an area is lifted away from the teeth, all the underlying inflamed tissue and calculus are removed, the bone may then be reconstructed to a proper shape and the gum is then replaced to proper position and sutured. Healing of these procedures takes from seven to 21 days and is usually uneventful, although not without some expected post-operative discomfort. Antibiotics are sometimes prescribed to treat gum inflammation.More Information
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