Periodontal disease is a common condition, with about 64 million Americans suffering from it. Although it is common, some people tend to ignore it without knowing that this condition can end in tooth loss or even a more severe condition without proper treatment. That is why Edward Kim, MS, DDS, and the team of periodontal disease specialists at West End Dental are dedicated to helping you manage this condition and understand how you can avoid it in the future.
What it is
Periodontal disease is a group of oral health complications causing inflammation to the gum tissue. If not managed in advance, this condition can destroy your gum and jawbone, causing more serious conditions such as tooth loss.
What Causes Periodontal Disease
Although several factors can contribute to periodontal disease, poor oral hygiene is the main cause of this condition. Besides, if you eat junk food, smoke tobacco, or drink alcohol excessively, your periodontal disease risks are very high.
Symptoms of Periodontal Disease
Depending on the rigor of your condition, you can experience the following symptoms:
- Spaces start to develop between your teeth.
- You experience pain that accelerates with chewing or biting.
- You have bad breath.
- Your gums begin to bleed easily.
- Your gums turn purple or bright red.
- The gums become swollen or puffy.
Managing the Periodontal Disease
To effectively manage periodontal disease, you need to understand the level of severity you are dealing with. Your provider can help you diagnose your condition to develop the best treatment option suitable for you. Periodontal disease has four stages, gingivitis, early periodontitis, moderate periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis.
Gingivitis
This is the most immediate stage of periodontal disease, where most of the symptoms are reversible. Gingivitis is a low-level gum disease that can be managed easily when reported in advance.
Early Periodontitis
At this stage, you are heading for serious teeth problems. Some of the symptoms are not reversible. It’s not about the symptoms causing the discomforts anymore; your teeth at this stage can begin decaying.
Moderate Periodontitis
If your condition has reached this stage, it means that your gums are under attack and your teeth are already weak. Your teeth roots can be exposed at this stage, and you could be subject to severe pain. Although your body may try to recover, you can experience severe inflammations making healing extremely difficult.
Advanced Periodontitis
This being the final stage of periodontal disease means you are experiencing severe complications that will require difficult decisions to manage. You might be experiencing severe bone loss, meaning most of your teeth are at the stake of being lost. Your roots are affected at this stage just like a tree, when the roots are exposed the tree’s survival is minimal, just like your teeth’ survival.
Periodontal Disease Treatment Options
Once your provider understands the stage at which your periodontal disease is, they can recommend several treatment procedures to manage your condition. Your provider can recommend scaling and root planing, a quick outpatient procedure to remove the plaques and tartar build-ups in your teeth and under the gum line. With the strengthening on your tooth’s surface, your gum can heal, reattaching your teeth.
In the severe stages, your provider can recommend a local antibiotic therapy, which involves implanting small beads of antibiotic medications beneath your gums to release infection-fighting medications. This prevents further infections and preserves your oral health.
The West End Dental team of periodontal disease specialists can help you understand more about these conditions and how you can benefit from the treatment options.