WHAT IS THE AIM OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE TREATMENT?
Periodontal disease treatment aims at treating your damaged teeth from the bacteria, which has accumulated on your teeth.
This bacterium is capable of damaging your gums and teeth permanently or lead to other complications.
What causes periodontal disease?
When the soft tissue and the bone, supporting the tooth, is damaged due to infection, the gum disease is termed as periodontal disease.
It is imperative to treat the infection on time; else, it will lead to the loss of alveolar bone around the teeth.
Usually, healthy people have hundreds of bacteria in their mouth, which are mostly harmless. But if you do not take care of your teeth, harmful bacteria will start building on your teeth, and you will end up with periodontitis.
Microorganisms such as bacteria stick to the surface of the tooth and in its pockets. Such bacteria start to multiply and form a substance called dental plaque, which leads to periodontal disease.
If the plaque is not removed by brushing the bacteria will deposit mineral called as tartar within the plaque.
The toxin released by the bacteria causes inflammation around the tooth and damages the gums, teeth, and supporting bone structures. Moreover, it may also increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other heart problems. So, don’t delay. Find the best smile makeover dentist.
Factors that lead to periodontal disease
There are many factors which may lead to periodontal disease. Some of them are – smoking, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hormonal changes in women due to menstruation/pregnancy/menopause, HIV/leukemia, genetics, poor nutrition which includes deficiency in vitamin C and so on.
Signs and symptoms of periodontal disease
If anyone of the following signs and symptoms you notice, immediately visit your doctor and get it treated.
- Gums may be swollen or inflamed, or the swelling may be recurrent
- Gums may turn purple sometimes or become red
- When you touch your gums, you feel pain
- Your teeth may look longer due to receding gum
- If spaces between your teeth increases
- Formation of pus between teeth and gums
- Your teeth start bleeding as soon as you brush or floss
- Sudden loss of teeth
- Bad odor
- Metallic taste inside your mouth
Measures to be taken for periodontal disease treatment
Any tooth infection can be cured if you take care of your tooth, clean regularly to remove the bacteria from the pockets around the tooth. You need to follow good oral hygiene daily.
Few good dental practices can save your teeth from irreparable damage, such as –
Brush your teeth twice a day on a daily basis even if your gums are healthy to prevent any infection. Clean the chewing surfaces and the sides of the teeth
Dental floss is recommended if your brush does not reach the space between the teeth. If you have significant gaps between two teeth, then you can clean with a dental brush
Extra care must be taken for closely-packed teeth, crooked teeth, crowns, dentures, fillings, and so on.
Antibacterial mouth wash can be used after brushing to prevent the growth of bacteria and to reduce the inflammatory reaction
If home remedies are not good enough for treating periodontal disease, you can visit your nearby dental clinic and avail for dental medication.
Few medications are discussed below –
- Chlorhexidine – This is an antimicrobial mouth rinse. Chlorhexidine is prescribed to patients who have been diagnosed with periodontal disease or have undergone tooth surgery. This helps in controlling bacteria.
- Antiseptic chip – Post root planning, this chip is placed in the pockets to control bacterial growth and reduces the periodontal pocket size. The chip is a small piece of gelatin filled with chlorhexidine, which is released over time.
- Antibiotic gel – This antibiotic gel is a slow-release medication. It is given after scaling and root planting. The gel consists of doxycycline. Doxycycline controls bacterial growth and shrinks the periodontal pocket size.
- Antibiotic microspheres – This small particle is placed in the pockets after scaling and planning to control bacteria and shrinks the periodontal pocket size. This is also an antibiotic containing minocycline.
- Enzyme suppressants – A low dose doxycycline used with scaling and root planning to control the destructive enzymes. Some enzymes can break down gum tissue, and hence, this is taken as an oral pill to delay the body’s enzyme response.
- Oral antibiotics – These antibiotics are available in capsule or tablet form for short-term treatment or in case of emergency.