Gingival & Periodontal Disease
Gingival and periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a serious infection. Left untreated this infection of your gums can cause your teeth to get loose and possibly fall out.
What is Gingival and Periodontal Disease
Gingival and periodontal disease attacks just below the gum line, causing bacteria to create pockets around the tooth, which will decay and break down the supporting tissue of your tooth. This allows the tooth to wiggle and eventually fall out .
Symptoms
Gingival and periodontal disease is characterized by swollen, red and inflamed gums. Your gums may bleed when you brush and floss. You may have bad breath. You will probably see gaps between your teeth. Your teeth may feel loose and painful when you chew.
How it Happens
Brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day is very important in avoiding gum disease. Each day bacteria called plaque builds up on your teeth. Regular brushing and flossing removes plaque. When plaque is not removed it turns into tartar. The only way tartar can be removed is by your dental assistant, who will scrape it off with a special metal tool. It is important to get your teeth professionally cleaned twice a year to have the tartar removed. If you do not have the tartar removed, pockets of bacteria and infection will start to form around your teeth. This is called gingivitis. Gingivitis, left unchecked, turns into periodontal disease.
Periodontal Disease
If you have periodontal disease, the treatments can be as severe as pulling the teeth that are infected and fitting you with a bridge or implants. Usually, a more conservative approach will be tried first. Your dentist will do deep cleaning of the teeth, called scaling and root planing. Anti-biotic gel chips will be placed in the pockets around your teeth. You'll get a prescription for an anti-microbial mouth rinse to be used like a regular mouthwash several times a day. Your dentist may prescribe oral antibiotics as well. You will have several treatments that will hopefully reverse the disease.
Prevention
To prevent gum disease you should brush and floss your teeth twice a day. Do not smoke. See your dentist every six months.
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