The THEN and NOW of Periodontal Disease Treatment

It is just a short matter of time until you will realize the importance of adhering to what you need to do and what you will decide to do today which can somehow affect or change the course of how your life will progress months and years from now. We can talk in particular how people tend to procrastinate or put off for tomorrow what they can do for today when all that is required is to prevent unwanted scenarios to happen; “prevention is better than cure” and this has been widely used and immensely campaigned for the longest time you can remember but the question still lies in the fact that you have to act NOW… or else it might just be too late. Making light of this matter is the fact that periodontal disease treatment is just a matter of choosing the right choices NOW to be able to obtain a good outcome.

When it comes to dental care problems, nobody is exempted and if you will not act now can lead to loss of tooth or a couple of it due to the fact that when we talk about this periodontal disease which can be described as the growth or production of bacteria that slowly destroy tissues supporting or surrounding the teeth; it can indeed impose a major problem. You might not even notice its onset or the gradual progression of it because it can start as painless as it can get with no overt or obvious signs to confirm. It can also be called as a “gum disease” that starts with a build-up of plaque within your teeth and if not removed can lead to the formation of tartar which is the most needed birthing ground for germs and bacteria which then can make you have this so-called gum disease. You are a candidate for periodontal disease treatment if you are starting to have any signs from the following:

-    swollen or tender gums
-    loose tooth or receding gums
-    abscess or pus in your gums and teeth
-    halitosis or bad breath that you can’t get rid of
-    a change in how your teeth fit together upon biting
-    reddish or bleeding gums when you brush your teeth

If you are exemplifying any of the identified signs, visit your dentist for a thorough check-up and for this reason it is well advised that a regular dental check-up is very important. An in-depth examination will be required once confirmed of having periodontal disease in order to identify its magnitude. Your periodontist who is the trusted and licensed practitioner to perform periodontics in preventing, diagnosing, and further treating any known tissue-related problems surrounding or supporting the teeth can be able to bring a good success rate for a promising prognosis for patients. Depending on the treatment regimen that you’ll be advised of: non-surgical, periodontal surgery, or some dental implants, a strict maintenance program for patients involved should be carried out once periodontal disease treatment has been implemented in order not to have a high recurrence rate or impose further impending risk factors.

Gum Treatments and the Role of Periodontics

Gum treatments and anything related to the gums will always have a tie up with periodontics. Periodontics is a branch of dental medicine that deals with the periodontium. Periodontium includes 2 aspects of the mouth: the gums and the supporting tissues of the gums. These supporting tissues include the root surface, the periodontal ligaments and the bones.

Of course, when one seeks a particular kind of treatment, there is the presentation of something irregular or “out of the normal” in the patient. When one seeks of gum treatments, it is usually to address inflamed, bleeding or sensitive gums. Inflammation, bleeding and sensitivity of the gums may be caused by several factors. One, it can be caused by poor hygiene. If you are not a fan of using mouthwashes, or if you are not a fan of regular teeth brushing and flossing, then you are likely to develop gum problems. What happens when we do not regularly brush, floss or use mouthwash is that it becomes the breeding conditions for the development of plaques. Also, if you are also not a fan of seeing a dentist, these plaques may progress into tartar, which are basically hardened plaques. The presence of tartar may cause gums to bleed or be inflamed. Especially if one just got off the dentist’s chair after a deep scaling procedure, one can readily see the inflammation of the gums by how red the gums look like. 

Other than promoting good hygiene, gum treatment may include the performance of periodontal surgeries especially in cases of advanced gingivitis. These surgical procedures may include tissue and bone grafts as well as flap surgery in order to help gums not build up on plaque and tartar. But then again, these surgical procedures are last resort suggestions as much as possible. Of course, even before the talk leads to these possible surgeries, a periodontist may suggest teeth or tooth extraction especially if the gums have already weakened through time. What happens with weak gums is that it does not hold the tooth or the teeth as strongly as it should, and it might be best to just take the tooth or teeth in question out. Dental implants or the wearing of dentures or porcelain are usually the next order of business after such extractions.

Periodontics and Gum Problems

Periodontics is a specific branch of dental medicine. Of course, like medicine, the world of dentistry also has different areas of specialization under its wing. When someone speaks of periodontics, the idea of gum problems will always come to mind. Aside from gum problems, the area of periodontics also deals with the supporting tissues of the gums, and these supporting tissues include the bones, the root surfaces and the periodontal ligaments. 

More often than not, the area and field of periodontics seek to address the case of gingivitis. When we speak of gingivitis, it deals with the inflammation and bleeding of the gums, and the inflamed and bleeding nature of the gums stem from poor oral health and infections. When we do not keep the regular habit of brushing our teeth and flossing the spaces in between our teeth, we raise the bar for susceptibility for gingivitis. When one does not brush and floss their teeth as regularly as possible, the development of plaques is very likely. Also, if one does not regularly see a dentist for teeth cleaning, chances are, these plaques may harden and progress as tartars in the teeth. It would require an advanced way of teeth cleaning such as deep scaling and polishing. Of course, gingivitis can easily be combated by practicing sound oral hygiene. Always keep a kit with your toothpaste, toothbrush and nylon floss with you so wherever you go, you always have your tools to keep your teeth clean after every meal. 

Gingivitis may also be caused by infections in the body, which causes the gums to appear red more than usual, to be sensitive and to be inflamed. Normally, an indicator of blood disease or diabetes is the nature of one’s gums. People who do not suffer from any of these diseases are not likely to develop inflamed, bleeding and sensitive gums. What periodontists would normally suggest for patients who present these kinds of symptoms is to ask them about their family health background. If diabetes or blood problems run in the family, then it is a likely cause for gingivitis. Again, infections may also be tied up with poor oral hygiene. Our mouths are naturally dirty especially with the presence of bacteria in the saliva. If one does not brush their teeth or even use a mouthwash to disinfect the teeth and the overall environment of the mouth, then it is a likely cause too for infections. 

In some cases, periodontal disease treatment may be more aggressive and advanced. Some periodontists may suggest surgery in order to address advanced cases of gingivitis in patients. These kinds of periodontal surgeries may include flap surgery and bone and tissue grafts. These are recommended for cases when oral hygiene and medications are not enough to alleviate the situation.

At the end of the day, it really pays well to take care of one’s set of teeth. After all, it is all we will ever have in our lifetime. Take the time to brush your teeth religiously, floss even before sleeping and see a dentist twice a month for checkups. That way, you can avoid expensive and rather extensive periodontal disease treatments.