Understanding Periodontal Disease

Every year a vast number of people make it a point to visit their dentist’s office to have their teeth inspected and cleaned.A dentist’s job is to maintain the condition of their patients’ teeth and gums, and combat the conditions that can put normally healthy teeth at risk. Besides tooth decay, dental practitioners also monitor and treat gingivitis, a disease where a bacterial infection inflames the soft tissue (gum).

Teeth are living organisms and are full of blood and lymphatic tissue as well as nerve endings. The gums surrounding the teeth and the bones supporting the teeth from beneath can also be affected by poor oral hygiene.

The roots of a tooth become vulnerable to bacterial infection and degeneration when the supporting bone and gum tissues are compromised.

Lack of proper oral hygiene is usually the biggest single mitigating factor in periodontal disease, but there are other circumstances can adversely affect the health of teeth and gums, like diabetes or renal problems, medication with negative side effects, habitual teeth grinding or clenching, and hormonal or chemical changes that alter the mouth’s condition.

The patient has to identify the basic reasons behind gum disease before they can take the steps necessary to bring it under control. Regardless, a course of therapy should be started right away to rectify the damage already sustained and prevent any further damage.

Once the removal of plaque has been addressed, the next thing to deal with is the presence of tartar which needs to be removed by the dentist.

When supporting bone (periodontal bone) has already been affected, there are a range of measures, such as soft and/or hard tissue grafting (gum and bone) and laser treatments, which can be employed to reduce the magnitude of the space between the gum tissues and the tooth.

The loss of a single tooth as a result of periodontal disease can affect the strength of the jawbone and lead to more health trouble for the patient.

Any work or effort at treating and maintaining natural teeth will be repaid in better overall health and wellness.