Periodontitis is a condition that affects the tissues and bones around your teeth. If left untreated, it can lead to tooth loss and other oral health problems. If you are experiencing any periodontal symptoms, such as bleeding or pus from the gum line, it is important to visit a dentist immediately for diagnosis and treatment. Here at Implant and Comprehensive Dentistry in Champions Gate, FL, we specialize in periodontics, and we can help take care of your condition.
What Is Periodontics?
Periodontology is a medical subspecialty within dentistry. It studies gum tissue, teeth around it, as well as supporting structures, including alveolar bone. This field focuses on preventing tooth loss by providing optimal oral health care for patients at risk of developing gingivitis or other forms of progressive periodontal diseases. The specialty also places emphasis on implant surgery involving dental implants.
It also deals with accident injuries resulting in facial trauma requiring reconstructive jaw surgery, such as grafting. A periodontist is a dental specialist whose main focus lies in treating gum disease and improving your overall oral health. Periodontists are also experts at diagnosing any periodontal problems early on.
Types of Periodontics Treatments
Periodontists offer a wide range of periodontal treatments that can help stop the advancement of gum disease and save your teeth. These treatment options depend on the condition, location, and severity level. The main treatments include:
Non-Surgical Therapies
This treatment includes deep cleaning treatments that involve ultrasonic scaler or hand scaling instruments with or without local anesthesia. The dentist also uses special antimicrobial rinses for treating infections, along with antibiotics when necessary. In cases where surgery is needed to correct advanced periodontitis, lasers may be used instead. This is due to their high degree of precision and convenience factor within outpatient settings.
Surgical Therapies
This treatment is used to correct advanced periodontitis. The dentist uses a scalpel and/or surgical curettes (sharp tools) to remove plaque, tartar, and damaged gum tissues during surgery. Surgical therapy also involves the use of lasers for quickening healing time as well as minimizing trauma on treated areas after surgery has been completed.
Different Cases Involving Periodontics
Periodontitis Infection
This is a common type of gum disease affecting the gums and bones that support your teeth. It is brought on by bacterial infection in deep pockets between teeth, below the gum line, or around implants. The main risk factors include smoking history and genetics involving blood clotting disorders such as hemophilia. The symptoms may also be triggered due to some medications for heartburn issues known as proton pump inhibitors.
Aggressive Periodontitis
A rapidly advancing periodontal case is called aggressive periodontitis. It usually affects people with severe gum disease and compromised immune systems, such as diabetics or AIDS patients. This type of infection often involves bacteria spreading to other areas in your mouth where it can be harder to treat, such as bone tissue, lymph nodes, and facial region.
Gum Recession (Loss)
This is a common gum disease brought on by the side effects of brushing and flossing too hard. Receding gums can also be caused due to genetics or aging, which make your teeth more susceptible to plaque buildup over time. It’s best if you don’t rush with any at-home dental treatments as this may worsen the condition, causing painful tooth sensitivity along with receding gums that expose roots underneath.
Dental Implants
This is a type of treatment involving the use of an artificial tooth replacement to replace lost teeth. This process uses medical-grade titanium or other types of implants that help rebuild your jawbone and gum tissues over time through osseointegration, which refers to cells attaching themselves onto implants for stability purposes.
Dental implant treatments can be completed by general dentists as well as periodontic specialists depending on the severity level in need of treatment. Implants are usually recommended for patients suffering from severe gum diseases, such as aggressive periodontitis, or those who have undergone tooth loss due to accidents.
Excess Gum Growth (Hyperplasia)
This is a type of gum disease in which gums and tooth tissues become swollen due to having an excess buildup of collagen, resulting in the loss or damage of underlying bone tissue. This can occur during pregnancy or when using certain medications, such as steroid-containing inhalers or other osteoporosis medicines.
What Is Gingivitis?
Gingivitis is one of the most common gum diseases affecting adults. It occurs when plaque buildup on teeth causes inflammation within your gums. This leads to irritation and redness with bleeding that often results from brushing too hard or flossing techniques that are not done properly.
What Causes Gingivitis to Progress to Periodontitis?
Several risk factors play a role in making gingivitis progress to periodontal disease. Some of the most common causes include smoking cigarettes, genetic factors, stress, and poor oral hygiene. Let’s discuss these factors in detail:
1) Genetic Factors
Those with a family history of periodontal disease are more likely to be affected by gingivitis than those with no genetic ties. If you have a parent or grandparent who has suffered from gum disease, be more vigilant in cleaning your teeth and visiting a dentist for routine checkups.
2) Smoking Cigarettes
People who smoke or have smoked in the past tend to be more prone to developing gum disease than non-smokers. This is because smoking makes your oral tissues more vulnerable. It also inhibits blood flow within these regions and decreases saliva production needed to break down food particles between teeth surfaces.
3) Stress
Excess stress can weaken immune system responses involving the fight against harmful bacteria and other oral pathogens. This can make your gingivitis worse and increase the risk of developing periodontal disease.
4) Poor Oral Hygiene
This is a significant risk factor for developing gum disease, especially if you do not regularly brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once. Food particles or bacteria can get stuck between spaces within teeth surfaces, resulting in plaque buildup that leads to gingivitis development.
5) Being Overweight
Studies show that overweight individuals tend to have higher levels of inflammatory markers within their bodies, leading to gum disease development.
6) Drugs That Cause Gum Overgrowth
Certain medications that affect the body’s bone marrow production can trigger gum tissues to grow faster than normal, resulting in periodontal disease. Such drugs include some types of chemotherapy, high-dose estrogen therapy for menopause conditions, or postmenopausal osteoporosis treatment, among others.
7) Poorly Positioned Teeth
If your teeth are not correctly aligned, plaque can get trapped between any of them or in the gum line leading to gingivitis. This condition is also known as “pocket formation.”
8) Alcohol Consumption
Excessive alcohol intake is harmful to your oral health, including gum tissues. It can weaken the immune system response to fight against harmful bacteria and other pathogens, making gingivitis worse.
Signs You Need A Periodontics Checkup
If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, it’s time to give us a visit for a periodontics checkup:
Swollen or Puffy Gums
If your gums swell and become puffy, it could indicate that you have periodontal disease. If left untreated for too long, swelling can increase due to inflammation and make it difficult to treat such a condition with antibiotics alone.
Gums That Bleed Easily
If you experience bleeding while brushing your teeth or flossing, it’s time to see a dentist. Bleeding gums may be caused by several factors, including tooth decay and periodontitis. The latter is more likely if such bleeding occurs even after regular dental visits where plaque has been removed from between teeth surfaces.
Bad Breath
Sometimes, gum disease can also cause bad breath. That’s because it leads to inflammation surrounding tissues lining the mouth’s interior surface, resulting in oral malodor or halitosis appearing.
Painful Chewing
Pain while chewing on food is a common symptom of gum disease. This condition occurs when tissues surrounding the teeth get infected and inflamed due to plaque buildup, leading to bone loss in that area. In addition, the more you chew with such affected areas experiencing pain, the higher chance your gums will recede from roots, resulting in further tooth exposure or shifting of its position within jawbone sockets.
Improve Your Oral Health Today!
Periodontics is a dental specialty that deals with diseases and conditions affecting the tissues surrounding teeth. If you have any dental condition that has not yet been diagnosed or is affecting your overall oral health, it’s time to schedule a visit with our periodontists. Call us at Implant and Comprehensive Dentistry in Champions Gate, FL, today!