Periodontitis

Periodontitis General Information

Periodontitis, a common disorder, refers to several inflammations that affect the tissues that support and surround the teeth. When suffering from this medical condition, it means that the patient progressively looses the alveolar bone found around the teeth. In the case that this medical disorder is left untreated, the infections usually lead to the loosening of teeth because of the massive soft tissue and bone that support the teeth destructions. There is an early stage of Periodontitis, called gingivitis that is seldom painful causing some minor signs, for example, red, bleeding, swollen gums. With time, this medical disorder can cause the appearance of more severe health problems, for example, high levels of sugar in the bloodstream, increased risks of stroke or heart attack.

Very sensitive to this type of inflammation are unborn babies. A pregnant woman who suffers from gum diseases is more likely to have premature born babies. The good part about Periodontitis is that it can easily be prevented and treated. Also, you must have in mind that you are more prone to develop this affection if you smoke, have a lowered immune system, suffer from hereditary disorders or take different medicines. Although, more susceptible to a gum disease are those people who have a poor mouth hygiene. You can reduce the risk of getting this type of medical disorder by daily flossing and brushing your teeth. The chances of developing a gum disorder are also reduced by regular professional cleanings. In the USA, 40% of the population will get this teeth problem.

Periodontitis Symptoms

Periodontitis Treatment

Periodontitis is a very serious medical condition that needs careful medical attention. It is better for the person who suffers from this terrible type of inflammation of the teeth to visit a health care provider as soon as possible in order to avoid the appearance of more severe complications. We strongly advise you that as you start experiencing the specific signs and symptoms of Periodontitis, you should immediately call your health care provider and establish a date for the medical examination. The sooner the disease is detected and the treatment started, the bigger are the patient’s chances to cure faster, without loosing his/her teeth. In a healthy person, the gums are firm and have a pale pink coloration. If they start to look red, become puffy and bleed easily, then you should seek medical guidance at your dentist. It is very important to prevent more severe problems and to increase the chances of reversing the damages.

When seeing a dentist, you will first be asked about your signs and symptoms and only after this your gums and teeth will be examined. The dentist will use a metal probe that will help him measure the depth of your gingival sulcus, meaning the groove between the teeth and the gums. If the depth is around 1 to 3 mm (millimeters), then the patient has a healthy gum. If the depth is beyond 4 mm, then the patient will have gum disease. When a person is suffering from Periodontitis, the supporting tissue and bone is destroyed and the gum stretches out and the bacteria are allowed to fill pockets around the teeth. Because with time these pockets become deeper and more infected, the goal of any treatment option is to clean the bacteria from these pockets and to stop the damage. The noninvasive treatment is applied to the majority of patients who are successfully treated. Antibiotic therapy may be needed. A consistent practice of oral hygiene at home may also help curing the disorder and also prevent it.

Scaling is a procedure that removes the bacteria and the tartar from the surface of the teeth. An ultrasonic device is often used. In order to cure Periodontitis, new improved topical antibiotic therapy is available on the market that reduces the need for systemic medicines that usually increase the bacteria’s resistance to antibiotics and the potential side effects. Some specialists (called dentists) recommend to their patients antibiotic mouth rinses while others prefer to insert gels and threads that contain antibiotics into the pockets and into the space between gums and teeth, but only after deep cleaning. Strongly research is still needed, but the products that are now on the market have positive effects because they can lower the levels of bacteria and help minimizing the future adverse effects and worsening of Periodontitis. In some more advanced stages, when the medication treatment has no effects, the dentist will choose to apply a pocket reduction surgery (flap surgery), bone grating, soft tissue grafts and guided tissue regeneration. Doryx is widely employed in the therapy against this disorder.