Preventing Gum Disease
Adults over the age of 35 lose more teeth to gum diseases than from cavities. Three out of four adults are affected at some time in their life. The best way to prevent cavities and Periodontal Diseases is by daily thorough tooth brushing and flossing techniques and regular professional examinations and cleanings. Unfortunately, even with the most diligent home dental care, people still can develop some form of periodontal disease. Once this disease starts, professional intervention is necessary to prevent its progress.
Other important factors affecting the health of your gums include:
- Tobacco usage
- Diabetes
- Stress
- Clenching and grinding teeth
- Medication
- Poor nutrition
Preventing Gum Disease
The Stages of Periodontal Disease
The first stage of periodontal disease is gum inflammation, or gingivitis. The body reacts to the bacteria by increasing vascularity, which carry cells to destroy the bacteria. This makes the tissue appear red, perhaps swollen, and patients may notice bleeding when cleaning their teeth.
Local etiological factors such as calculus, plague as well as some medications may intensify or contribute to the p. At this stage there has been no bone destruction, and careful removal of all calculus, along with meticulous patient brushing and flossing, generally completely corrects the problem.
If the gingivitis is left untreated the bacteria may destroy the gingival fiber attachment to the tooth. There is a war between the advancing bacteria, and the body trying to defend against invasion. Some of the destruction is caused by the body itself, when attempts to destroy the bacteria also destroy healthy tissue in the area. There are many factors that influence how well your body defends against the bacterial invasion.
As the bacteria advances down the tooth, the inside lining of the gum, and the bone, are destroyed. This penetration of bacteria forms a periodontal pocket, or deepened space between the gum and tooth. By measuring the depth of the space with a periodontal probe your dentist can see how much bone loss has occurred.
This can be the initial steps in the development of periodontitis. Periodontitis occurs by the migration of pathogenic bacteria down the root surface. Periodontal pockets are formed as the result of this migration and provide more areas for bacteria to hide. This bone loss can progress to complete tooth loss.
Resistance to the progression of periodontal disease has numerous factors some are pand others acquired. Acquired risk factors are those a person can modify to decrease risk or progression and include oral hygiene status, smoking, medications, stress and nutrition. Innate risk factors are beyond the control of the patient and include race, sex, genetic factors and systemic disease.
The mechanism by which bone is destroyed is thought to be episodic and nonlinear and actual destruction is brought about by ones own body as a consequence of fighting off an excessive bacterial load.
Complex current model of disease progression
The presence of periodontal disease is determined by measuring pocket depths by your dentist and comparing this to radiographs or x-rays. Pocket deposits exceeding 5mm may result in referral to a periodontist or periodontal specialist.
The best way to prevent gum disease is effective daily brushing and flossing as well as regular professional examinations and cleaning. Unfortunately, even with the most diligent home dental care, people still can develop some form of periodontal disease. Once this disease starts, professional intervention is necessary to prevent its progress.
Other important factors affecting the health of your gums include:
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Stress
- Clenching and grinding teeth
- Medication
- Poor nutrition
How Periodontal Diseases are Treated
Less severe forms of disease with pocket depths 4-5m.m. may be successfully treated by scaling and root planing. This involves numbering the gums and meticulous removal of plaque and calculus from the tooth root surface. By removing this bacterial overload, inflamed gums heal and shrink, and meticulous home care consisting of brushing and flossing performed twice daily should be sufficient to prevent the disease form returning.
Plates
In some instances bone grafting may be elected to attempt to regrow lost bone and periodontal architecture. Dr. Sevor will address these areas on a case by case basis and advise you.
Periodontal Disease & Tobacco
You are probably familiar with the links between tobacco use and lung disease, cancer, and heart disease.
Current studies have now linked periodontal disease with tobacco usage. These cases may be even more severe than those of non-users of tobacco. There is a greater incidence of calculus formation on teeth, deeper pockets between gums and teeth as well as greater loss of the bone and fibers that hold teeth in your mouth. In addition, your chance of developing oral cancer increases with the use of smokeless tobacco.
Chemicals in tobacco such as nicotine and tar slow down healing and the predictability of success following periodontal treatment.
Problems caused by tobacco include:
Lung disease, heart disease, cancer, mouth sores, gum recession, loss of bone and teeth, bad breath, tooth staining, less success with periodontal treatment, and with dental implants.
Quitting tobacco will reduce the chance of developing the above problems.
Diabetes & Oral Health
Individuals suffering from diabetes, especially uncontrolled diabetics, have a higher risk of developing bacterial infections of the mouth. These infections may impair your ability to process insulin, resulting in greater difficulty with controlling your diabetes. Periodontal diseases will be more severe than those of a non-diabetic and treatment more difficult. However, well-controlled diabetics have a lower incidence of cavities.
Steps to prevent periodontal disease include daily brushing and flossing to remove plaque from your teeth and gums, regular dental visits for professional cleaning, and regular periodontal evaluation. Your health professional must also be told of your history and the current status of your condition. And finally, you can help resist periodontal infection by maintaining control of your blood sugar levels.
Women & Periodontal Health
Throughout a woman's life, hormonal changes affect tissue throughout the body. Fluctuations in levels occur during puberty, pregnancy and menopause. At these times, the chance of periodontal disease may increase, requiring special care of your oral health.
Puberty
During puberty, there is increased production of sex hormones. These higher levels increase gum sensitivity and lead to greater irritations from plaque and food particles. The gums can become swollen, turn red, and feel tender.
Menstruation
Similar symptoms occasionally appear several days before menstruation. There can be bleeding of the gums, bright red swelling between the teeth and gum, or sores on the inside of the cheek. The symptoms clear up once the period has started. As the amount of sex hormones decrease, so do these problems.
Pregnancy
Your gums and teeth are also affected during pregnancy. Between the second and eighth month, your gums may also swell, bleed, and become red or tender. Large lumps may appear as a reaction to local irritants. However, these growths are generally painless and not cancerous. They may require professional removal, but usually disappear after pregnancy.
Periodontal health should be part of your prenatal care. Any infections during pregnancy, including periodontal infections, can place a baby's health at risk.
The best way to prevent periodontic infections is to begin with healthy gums and continue to maintain your oral health with proper home care and careful periodontic monitoring.
Oral Contraceptives
Swelling, bleeding, and tenderness of the gums may also occur when you are taking oral contraceptives, which are synthetic hormones.
You must mention any prescriptions you are taking, including oral contraceptives, prior to medical or dental treatment. This will help eliminate the risk of drug interactions, such as antibiotics with oral contraceptives – where the effectiveness of the contraceptive can be lessened.
Menopause
Changes in the look and feel of your mouth may occur if you are menopausal or post-menopausal. They include feeling pain and burning in your gum tissue and salty, peppery, or sour tastes.
Careful oral hygiene at home and professional cleaning may relieve these symptoms. There are also saliva substitutes to treat the effects of dry mouth.