Periodontal disease or gum disease is one of the major cause of tooth loss in the world. The infection affects the gums and the surrounding tissues.
There are several factors that cause gum diseases. However, one of the major common cause is poor oral hygiene. Oral health has far greater importance in preventing periodontal diseases and your general health.
Gum diseases are very dangerous. This is because they don’t tend to cause pain or intense discomfort.
They attack silently and If left untreated, can lead to severe infections of the gums resulting in tooth loss.
There are many different forms, but the most frequent ones are “gingivitis” and “periodontitis”.
Gingivitis is a type of periodontal disease that causes your gums to be inflamed.
If gingivitis goes untreated, it causes deeper destructive to the alveolar bone and periodontal ligament leading to periodontitis.
The bacteria infect the ligament around the tooth losing the bony support around the teeth making it lose.
Symptoms of gum disease.
How can you know you have a gum disease? Well, there are a number of signs and symptoms that are affiliated with gum disease, some of the common ones include;
- Bleeding gums.
- Tender and swollen gums
- Loose teeth.
- Persistent bad breath
- Gum pockets
- Abscesses
- Purulent discharge around the teeth and gums.
- Gum recession.
What Causes Gum disease?.
Gum diseases are caused by a bacterial infection. These bacterias are brought by plaque which occurs due to poor oral hygiene.
When you don’t brush or floss your teeth properly and regularly, plaque forms.
Plaque is a sticky deposit around your teeth and contains harmful bacteria which forms when you don’t observe oral hygiene.
The bacteria’s then causes inflammation, destroys the bone and periodontal ligaments around the teeth making it lose and easy to fall.
Treatment of Gum disease.
Gum diseases can be treated. However, a diagnosis has to be made first by your dentist to determine the type.
If you are suffering from gingivitis, your dentist or oral surgeon may suggest you go for a thorough professional cleaning.
You will also be given good oral hygiene routine tips to use at home to help reduce the symptoms.
If your gingivitis has advanced to periodontitis, an advanced gum treatment like surgery may be done.
In addition to surgery, you may go through a series of professional cleaning.
Root planning and scaling may also be done to you to remove plaque and tartar from beneath the gum line.
