Periodontal Disease Treatment

While some people with gingivitis may not notice anything significant, the signs or symptoms may include bad breath (halitosis), sore and swollen gums that bleed easily, especially when brushing or flossing. Gum disease can be prevented and easily treated with early detection. However, ignoring the signs and symptoms of gum disease can lead to more serious periodontal disease, resulting in irreversible damage to the supporting bone, tooth mobility and even tooth loss.

Gum disease can be diagnosed during your exam with a thorough periodontal analysis, probing the gums around each tooth, checking for pockets, bleeding, plaque and calculus, poorly shaped fillings as well as checking for any mobility of teeth. Pockets greater than 3mm generally indicates periodontal disease and further investigations will be required. Typically, the deeper the pocket, the more severe the disease and in severe cases, a referral to a gum specialist (Periodontist) may be necessary. 

There are several factors that can affect the health of your gums. The main two everyone should be aware of is smoking and uncontrolled diabetes. Certain medications, poorly fitting dentures, misaligned or crooked teeth, defective fillings such as overhangs can all impact the health of the gum tissues and lead to disease. It is also important to note that good oral hygiene during pregnancy is vital to avoid possibly developing gum disease.

There are strong links between poor oral hygiene and poor overall health. Studies have shown that the bacteria and plaque that causes gum disease are the same as the ones that cause heart disease. During active disease, mouth bacteria can enter and travel throughout the body through the bloodstream, leading to heart disease, infective endocarditis and stroke, to mention a few. These serious health problems can be avoided with early detection and treatment. As always, it is important to have regular check ups to assess the health of your teeth and gums.

Gingivitis
We believe that gum disease exists in 2 key stages. The 1st stage is gingivitis, and refers to inflammation of the gums caused by the build up of bacterial plaque along the gumline. While the symptoms of gingivitis can be subtle, the condition itself has warning signs. These may include red, tender or swollen gums, bleeding when brushing or flossing and possibly bad breath.  During this stage, the bone and ligaments supporting the teeth are unaffected and the gingivitis is completely reversible with simple treatment. If the conditions are favourable, gingivitis can lead to the 2nd stage which is the progression to periodontitis.

Periodontal disease
Periodontitis occurs when the disease spreads to the periodontal ligaments and bones that surround and support the affected teeth. In addition to the typical signs of gingivitis, common signs of periodontitis may also include receding gums, pockets that form between the teeth and gums as well as pain when biting.  The disease may result in tooth mobility of varying severity, drifting of teeth and even tooth loss, especially when infection or pain develops. The problem is that disease and infection can progress without pain or noticeable symptoms. 

Whilst the damage of periodontal disease cannot be reversed you can help prevent further damage with daily brushing, flossing, mouthrinses and regularly periodontal maintenance and treatment.  The aim of treatment is to control the existing infection and to prevent further progression of the disease. The most common treatment option is conservative debridement, where removing plaque and calculus will assist the gums in reattaching to the teeth. Severe pockets or difficult cases may require surgery for better visibility, or other procedures to strengthen gums and replace what has receded away. Medications may also be prescribed to assist in removing the bacteria, and these may include antibiotics, mouth rinses and gels. The treatment recommendation will vary depending on the severity of the disease, and we will discuss this with you prior to commencing any treatment.