Understanding Advanced Gum Disease So We Can Heal and Then Prevent

Any dentist will tell you that the goal of dentistry is to educate the patient, so that everyone can have a healthy mouth. Good dental hygiene is essential for preventing advanced gum disease (periodontal disease).

Periodontal disease is also referred to as pyorrhea. Periodontal disease is where there is infection that began in the gingival tissue (your gum line) and then due to non-treatment it spread to under the gums and then into the surrounding bone structure that surrounds the tooth.

The gum in a healthy mouth is sealed against the tooth. When plaque is not removed from the tooth and gum line, bacteria can break down the seal between the gum line and the tooth. A pocket filled with bacteria then forms and is impossible to keep clean.

Bacteria under the gums cause the gum to bleed, to swell and, if treatment is not done, deterioration of the jawbone around the tooth will take place.

There are many factors that can increase your risk for periodontal disease including:

Smoking, poor diet, high levels of stress, grinding or clenching of teeth, poor health, and systemic medical disease such as cancer or diabetes.

Bacteria under the gums can cause several symptoms to occur:

• The gums to bleed
• The gums to become swollen
• The gums to become tender

Prolonged presence of bacteria will eventually deteriorate the jawbone around the tooth in the affected area.

There are three goals of periodontal treatment:

• 1. To reestablish again, the seal between gum and tooth.
• 2. To give the individual a stable bite.
• 3. To educate the individual about how their mouth will be returned to a health oral status and then to give the patient the information they need to maintain a healthy mouth.

This is accomplished in two phases. The first phase is to allow the mouth to heal by cleaning out the infection from underneath the gum line. Special x-rays will determine the extent of the damage to the bone. Scaling and root planing will be done to remove calculus (tartar) from teeth and the gum line. After all the tartar is removed, then the inner lining of the pocket is removed (curettage).

These procedures may take more than one office visit. Novocaine is administered so that the patient is comfortable during the procedure. There may be minimal discomfort for a few days after the procedure, which can be handled by over-the-counter pain relievers.

If these procedures are not enough to control the infection due to damage to the bone or surrounding soft tissue (gum) surgery will be necessary to return the mouth to where the individual can heal. It is necessary to do several surgeries in order to repair the damage done by the gum disease.

Lastly the patient is instructed about how to care for their teeth, gums and mouth. Proper tooth brushing and flossing are demonstrated so that the disease will not be repeated. It is also usually stressed about how important good diet, good general health and the need to abstain from smoking tobacco. The patient is ultimately responsible for the health of their mouth.

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