Periodontitis, everything you should know, symptoms, treatment, advice.

Periodontitis, what causes it, what are the symptoms, how to get rid of it?

This disease is known by different names, but the most commonly used is “periodontal disease”. And you may be wondering, what is periodontitis? Well, it occurs when the gum area becomes inflamed and extends to the ligaments and bones that hold the teeth in place, causing the teeth to become loose or even fall out. Among periodontal diseases, it is considered a fairly common one and it usually occurs in adolescence. In addition, it is one of the main causes for which adults develop dental falls.

Unlike the simple inflammation that occurs in the gum known as gingivitis, this type of disease affects people with a high probability of developing serious infections in the periodontal tissues, These tissues are responsible for surrounding the teeth.

There are several diseases and even disorders that can cause periodontitis in people. These can be diabetes; more specifically type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease, AIDS, and even Down syndrome. For AIDS patients, this disease tends to develop more easily. It can also occur due to vitamin C insufficiency, smoking and even emotional distress can be quite a considerable factor.

Periodontitis is a condition that can present itself at any age and even in young children. There are cases where the person suffers severe gingivitis for many years and despite this fact, they do not develop periodontitis. There are also cases of people who have developed the illness at very early ages between 20 or 20 years old without having or presenting symptoms of gingivitis.

As we mentioned before, in the case of adults, this disease is known as one of the main causes that provoke the detachment of teeth, especially if it is a person of very advanced age.

Periodontitis causes and when to see a dentist

In our mouth there are more than 700 types of bacteria, these bacteria are the cause of gum disease or periodontal disease. They are usually stored in the gums, teeth, or even in restorations. In some cases, this condition is caused by not having a good knowledge of good oral hygiene or it may be incomplete or even insufficient. This causes a proliferation of bacteria that grow and group together, which can be known as biofilm or bacterial plaque, we can even call it “Bacteriological broth”.

 

Bacterial plaque usually forms in the most hidden areas of the teeth, especially between the spaces of teeth. Another place where this type of bacteria can occur is: In the grooves of the gums and areas such as the fissures of the teeth, this is one of the spaces where you should be more careful, since being protected by the chewing surface of the molars, it is more difficult to reach by the filaments of the toothbrush, tongue and even saliva.

 

In addition to the previously mentioned, there are other causes linked to this type of diseases, these can be:

 

  • Lifestyle, which is a factor of great impact on periodontal health. Especially when it comes to diet, alcohol consumption, and other substances. Another factor that should also be taken into account is the lack of physical activity.
  • It is important to emphasize smoking, as it is a major risk factor for developing periodontitis. Smoking interferes with tissue healing, which facilitates the development of not only periodontitis but also other types of oral diseases.
  • Another cause that can lead to periodontal diseases is linked to genetics. If you come from a family that develops these diseases easily, it is possible that in the future you may suffer from them, especially if you add tobacco consumption.
  • As we mentioned before, maintaining inadequate oral hygiene is a risk factor, especially if you suffer from dental crowding or other problems of poor positioning of the teeth that may hinder a proper cleaning process.

What are the periodontitis symptoms?

The main symptom that you should be alert for is known as bleeding gums. This bleeding can occur when brushing our teeth or spontaneously. Bleeding gums are not considered normal and a doctor should be consulted.

 

In addition to this can also be produced:

 

  • Bad breath
  • Hypersensitivity to cold
  • Loss of gum or perception of longer teeth
  • Mobility or separation of the teeth
  • An appearance of abscesses and even phlegmons in the gum area may develop if the disease continues to grow. These signs are considered to be a manifestation of periodontitis in an advanced stage.
  • In the case of smokers, this disease is usually diagnosed a little later, this is due to the poor blood flow that occurs as a result of smoking so that in many cases the bleeding that usually happens in the gum does not appear until reaching a very high stage of the disease, which is why it is recommended to take great care if you are a smoker, especially in the health of the gums.

In case you are already showing any of these symptoms, it is recommended to go to a dental health center, periodontist or health professional who is in charge of the oral health area urgently. They will help you identify the problem and look for a solution. In addition to clarifying every doubt you have, give recommendations and provide appropriate treatment.

What does periodontitis treatment consist of?

Each treatment to solve periodontitis varies depending on the case. This will also depend on the state and stage of the disease. It will certainly vary from patient to patient.

There are cases in which only some non-surgical periodontal techniques will need to be applied, such as the ones we will present below.

On the other hand, there are cases in which when reaching a very advanced level, this may cause the gum to recede, there is a loss of bone, or some other special circumstance that requires surgical intervention as a treatment to solve the case.

For you to have a little more knowledge about periodontitis and its treatments, we will explain below:

Non-surgical Periodontal treatments

The first step that a specialist must perform before recommending any type of treatment and be able to know the state in which the disease is, will be to perform a study. This study consists of X-rays and a periodontal gram, also known as gum probing.

By performing this study and having better knowledge about the current state of the disease if it is in an early stage, it could be enough some treatments such as:

●     Curettage

This is considered the most basic periodontal treatment. This technique consists of scaling and root planning to remove bacterial plaque and tartar that usually accumulate on the teeth and gum areas.

To apply the scaling, various instruments allow the removal of plaque, tartar, and other debris from the damaged area. This process intends to act in-depth reaching areas below the gums to remove all the tartar and bacteria that are stored beyond the tooth surface.

Once the scaling process is finished, we proceed with the root planing, in this step the root of the tooth is polished so that the surface is completely smooth and decontaminated.

It is important to mention that curettage is not the same as a dental cleaning. These two procedures tend to be confused. The difference between the two is that dental cleaning is a preventive treatment, while curettage is a treatment that is applied to correct the damage once tartar and plaque have adhered to the areas causing periodontal disease.

To perform the curettage procedure, local anesthesia must be applied, this helps to prevent possible discomfort as a result of scaling and root planning. However, it is still a minimally invasive technique and the discomfort caused by the treatment is usually mild and disappears quickly.

In some cases, once the scaling and root planning treatment is applied, the professional usually prescribe some antibiotics to help you eliminate the infection completely, but only if the case requires it.

Surgical periodontal treatments

In more extreme cases in which curettage and antibiotics have not been able to solve the problem due to the damage produced in the tissues, gums, and even bones, there is still a solution!

For these cases in which the previous procedures have not worked due to the severity of the disease, dental surgery is required. What are the possible solutions offered by a surgical periodontal treatment? We will answer this question below.

●     Periodontal surgery

Periodontal surgery allows the specialist to reach difficult to access areas in the periodontal pockets, areas that should not be reached by scaling and root planning.

This type of procedure also known as a flap is performed through a small incision on the gum in the area of the root of the tooth, this allows to separate and then lift a small part of what would be the gum tissue. Giving access to the specialist to be able to scrape and apply the root planing more deeply and efficiently.

●     Gum grafting

This treatment is used when gum recession occurs. Gum recession is produced when the periodontitis is in a more developed state, this causes the tissue surrounding the tooth (Gum) to recede or retract as a consequence.

To achieve the graft, the specialist must take a small portion of your gum, either from nearby areas or from the palate, to apply it to the damaged area. This achieves periodontal plastic surgery.

●     Bone grafting

To perform a bone graft, the damaged area must first be detected and the possibilities to apply the treatment must be evaluated. These procedures are intended to prevent the loss of the tooth or teeth and prolong their useful life.

●     Stimulation to tissue regeneration

Periodontal regeneration is another treatment used to treat periodontitis. The objective of this treatment is to rebuild the damaged tissues, either part of the bone or the gums, and to strengthen their growth.

In some cases, this treatment is applied in addition to surgery. This method consists of placing a special membrane between the gum area and the damaged bone to promote its growth.

Another regenerative procedure used to complement a surgical treatment is known as the application of proteins that help stimulate the area to increase the regeneration of the periodontal ligament and the damaged or lost bone.

Tabela Përmbledhëse

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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There is no natural method to reverse this disease, the best option is to be treated with a specialist who will evaluate the damage and then recommend the most appropriate treatment for recovery.

Although it is a chronic disease, there are methods to prevent its proliferation. It is also important to mention that it requires the effort of each patient to care for and maintain good oral hygiene, in addition to maintaining good health habits. Above all, do not forget to see a specialist so that he/she can continue to guide you and try to improve your health and the useful life of your teeth.

 Remember that you have this treatment and many more at CDC: City Dental Clinic in Tirana, Albania. Don’t let your smile be overshadowed by oral disease, treat yourself with us and see how we can turn your dental appearance around! We offer multiple services, from curettage to dental implants, the Invisalign technique, and even much more serious operations; it is noteworthy that many of our services are on sale, up to 50% discount without having to lower the quality or dedication in our work. With an introduction before the operation and with an explanation after the treatment to avoid future problems. We also make sure to comply with all the regulations under the Covid-19 treatment to ensure your and our safety.

We are a responsible clinic that only cares about your safety and wellbeing, feel free to call or visit us and schedule an appointment! Our staff will be happy to hear from you.