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Wondering what causes swollen gums and how to get rid of gum disease? Tired of puffy, swollen, and painful gums?
Your oral health may be deteriorating because of a dangerous gum disease called periodontitis.
You may also have several questions swirling around your mind.
Do I have periodontitis? What is periodontitis really? How can I prevent periodontitis? How to treat periodontitis?
Periodontitis is a serious and potentially dangerous disease. But, if diagnosed at an early stage, it can be treated to prevent further bone loss and tooth decay.
In this article, we answer all of your questions related to periodontitis and its treatment.
What is Periodontitis?
In the absence of good oral hygiene, your teeth may fall prey to numerous infections and diseases.
Even if you regularly brush and floss your teeth, there may still be some food particles that get stuck between your teeth, attracting bacteria and causing decay.
Despite your best oral hygiene practices, you must go to a dental clinic for regular professional deep cleaning. Failure to do so puts you at greater risk of gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis.
Periodontitis is basically an infection of your gums. It damages your gum tissues and eventually leads to bone loss in teeth. Over time, periodontitis can also lead to complete tooth decay and tooth loss.
Common Gum Disease Symptoms
It is best to treat periodontitis in its earliest stages. However, in order to do so, you need to be wary of the following symptoms.
- Swollen gums.
- Bright red gums.
- Tender or aching gums.
- Easily bruised or bleeding gums.
- Receding gums, which manifests in the form of gaps between the gums and teeth.
- Persistent bad breath.
- Persistent ache when chewing.
Periodontal Disease Stages
You may have heard about gingivitis and periodontitis in relation to gum diseases. Both of these conditions are actually different stages of the same periodontal disease.
Gingivitis is the earliest stage in which plaque accumulates around the gum line and causes inflammation. At this stage, all damage can be treated and reversed with a simple dental procedure.
Periodontitis is the second stage of periodontal disease. At this stage, pockets of space form between your gums and teeth, and your teeth start decaying.
Advanced periodontitis is the final stage of periodontal disease. At this point, your teeth and bone structure have completely decayed and your teeth may be removed entirely.
Periodontal Disease Treatment
As you can see, periodontitis can be extremely dangerous and harmful if left untreated.
That’s why it’s crucial to visit a reputable dental clinic around your location as soon as you notice signs of gum disease.
Periodontal disease treatment begins with a preliminary examination.
The dental hygienist examines your teeth for signs of plaque and tartar. An x-ray scan then identifies bone loss in teeth and the depth of gum pockets.
The initial stage of the treatment simply consists of cleaning the gum pockets to prevent further bacterial decay or bone loss. If the periodontitis is still in its early stages, the dental hygienist will opt for non-surgical treatments.
The non-surgical approach begins with scaling and root planning.
Scaling is a procedure in which the doctor removes plaque and tartar from around the teeth and gum line.
Root planing is a procedure in which the doctor smoothes out the rough surface of the roots of your teeth. This process attaches the teeth to the gums and removes all remaining traces of plaque to eliminate bacterial risk.
The doctor may even prescribe antibiotics to prevent bacterial infections.
Periodontitis treatment — in the early stages of the disease — is a painless, minimally-invasive, and comfortable procedure. However, if periodontitis advances to the final stage, surgery may be unavoidable.
To minimize discomfort and side-effects of the procedure, visit a well-reputed periodontal disease treatment clinic.
Periodontitis Treatment at Home (Are they Effective?)
- If you go online, you’ll find a lot of DIY recommendations to treat periodontitis.
- You should NEVER trust home remedies. Periodontitis is an extremely dangerous and serious medical condition that can only be treated by a professional dentist.
- At best, a home remedy may reduce some of the pain and discomfort of periodontitis. At worst, DIY home remedies worsen the situation or lull you into a false sense of security.
- If you don’t seek timely medical treatment for periodontitis, your condition will worsen and you’ll either lose your teeth or you’ll have to seek an expensive and risky surgical treatment.
- Having said that, the following are some recommendations to avoid periodontitis altogether.
- These DIY recommendations cannot treat periodontitis.
Improve Your Oral Hygiene Routine
First things first – start with good oral hygiene.
This includes brushing and flossing your teeth regularly and visiting a reputed dental clinic once every six months.
You should also use fluoride-treated periodontal toothpaste as they are more effective.
Rinse with Antibacterial Mouthwash
Ask your dentist for a good antibacterial mouthwash recommendation. Rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash on a regular basis prevents bacterial infections or inflammations.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is one of the primary causes of gingivitis and periodontitis.
If you want to avoid periodontitis, quit smoking. If you have only recently recovered from gum disease, then refrain from the activity entirely.
FAQs About Periodontitis
What are some good natural remedies for Gingivitis?
There are NO effective natural remedies for Gingivitis. Oil pulling and aloe vera are often recommended as natural treatments but this is simply untrue. Gingivitis is a serious medical condition that can only be treated through a medical procedure at a dental clinic.
Does periodontitis cause heart disease?
Periodontitis greatly increases the chances of heart disease and blood infections. That’s why it is imperative to seek treatment from a reputable dental clinic immediately.
How can periodontitis be cured?
Periodontitis may be treated if you visit the dentist in a timely manner. However, prevention is always better than a cure, so be proactive with your oral hygiene and visit the dentist regularly.
What is a highly recommended electric toothbrush for periodontal disease?
Oral-B Pro is a pretty effective electric toothbrush as it reaches hard-to-reach places where plaque may accumulate and lead to periodontal diseases.
Does receding gums mean bone loss?
Yes, the recession of gums is a sign of bone loss. If left unchecked, it may further worsen and cause loss of teeth as well.
Are teeth cleaning and periodontal treatment painful?
No, the process of teeth cleaning and periodontal treatment are not painful. The area is numbed using an anesthetic or a numbing gel to eliminate any feeling of discomfort.
Do teeth cleaning removes bad breath?
Yes, teeth cleaning removes bad breath, which may be a symptom of gum disease or accumulation of plaque and tartar. Because it removes all harmful substances, teeth cleaning effectively eliminates bad breath as well.
What is gum disease?
Gum disease is a condition in which the gums become extremely sensitive. Your gums may also swell, inflame, grow sore, or start bleeding. The root cause of plaque and tartar accumulation breeds bacterial infection.
What are the symptoms of gum disease?
Common symptoms of gum disease include irritated and red gums, sensitive gums that are prone to bleeding, bad breath, and tooth sensitivity.
How I do kill gum disease?
You can kill gum disease by improving your oral hygiene and eliminating factors that put you at risk of developing gum disease. Remember, regular dental visits are crucial for optimal oral health.
Book a Consultation to Catch Periodontitis Now
If you allow periodontitis to spread, you risk losing your beautiful teeth or having to go through an intense and risky surgery.
So visit URBN Dental by booking a dental appointment right now and catch periodontitis in its early stages!