Periodontal (Gum) Disease ranges from simple inflammation of the gums to a major disease. It damages the soft tissue surrounding the teeth and can cause receding gums and even loss of teeth.
There are three stages to periodontal disease
1. Gingivitis - This is the beginning of gum disease and is considered a mild stage or periodontal gum disease. At this point the plaque and bacteria have started to irritate and inflame the gums
2. Periodontitis - Your gums at this stage show some signs of gum recession and tartar buildup. This is usually the result of untreated periodontal disease
3. Advanced Periodontitis - By this stage the condition has worsened further. The gums recede further to the point where the bone starts to breakdown. This can also lead to the bone crumbling, where you experience loss of teeth
Causes of periodontal disease and gum recession
The biggest cause of the disease is poor oral hygiene, resulting in a build up of plaque and bacteria. There are other factors that can cause the disease such as genetics, diabetes, poor diet, bruxism, smoking, some medications and stress.
Treatment possibilities
Thirroul Dental Studio can best determine the treatment required, based on how advanced the disease is. Our first priority is to control the infection. This may include improving oral hygiene habits such as brushing and flossing or behaviours to lifestyle such as smoking, diet and stress.
Often a deep cleanse, or scaling and root planing, is needed to help control infection. This involves scraping the tartar from above and below the gum line and removing rough spots from the roots of the teeth.
For more serious cases surgical treatment is required. This may include flap surgery, where the gums are lifted gum and tartar removed before the gums are sutured back in place. Bone and tissue grafting may also be needed to help regenerate bone or gum which has been lost.