About Periodontal Disease
If you’re coping with periodontal disease, Dr. Madani and his team will help you regain optimal oral health.
Periodontal diseases are infections of the gums, which gradually lead to the destruction of the support of your natural teeth. These diseases affect more than 80% of Americans by the age of 45.
Dental plaque is the primary cause of gum disease. Bacteria found in plaque produce enzymes and toxins which injure the gums. Injured gums turn red, swell and bleed easily.
If this injury is prolonged, the gums separate from the teeth, causing pockets (spaces) to form.
Plaque can also harden into a rough, porous substance known as calculus (tartar).
Gum disease can occur both above and below the gum line. As the diseases progress, the supporting gum tissue and bone that holds teeth in place deteriorate.
If left untreated, this leads to tooth loss. Pain is usually not present until damage from this disease is very advanced.
Gum Disease: Surgical Treatments
Flap surgery is also known as "pocket reduction surgery." Dr. Madani creates tiny incisions in your gum so that he can pull back a section of gum tissue, exposing the roots for more effective scaling and root planing. Due to periodontitis often provoking bone deterioration, Dr. Madani may reshape the contour of the uncovered bone before the gum tissue is sutured back in place. After you heal, it's easier to clean these areas and support healthy gum tissue.
Gum Disease: Soft Tissue Grafts
Root exposure resulting from gingival tissue recession may pose multiple problems for patients:
- Undesirable Aesthetics
- Root Sensitivity
- Impaired Oral Hygiene
- Increased Caries Susceptibility
- Teeth May Become Loose
A gingival tissue graft will restore the proper gum tissue structure around the tooth. When a patient losses gum tissue, the gum line recedes. As a result, the patient may need to have some of the failed soft tissue augmented. Dr. Madani achieves this by transferring tissue from the roof of the mouth or utilizing tissue from a donor and attaching it to the affected location. In addition, grafting can diminish further gum recession, cover visible roots and provide the teeth a more esthetic appearance.
Gum Disease: Bone Grafting
Bone grafting is a procedure performed when gum disease has destroyed the bone anchoring a tooth root. The graft may be composed of small bits of the patient's bone, or the bone may be synthetic or donated. The bone graft helps prevent tooth loss by anchoring the tooth more securely. It also catalyzes the regeneration of natural bone.
Gum Disease: Guided Tissue Regeneration
Guided tissue regeneration allows the regrowth of bone that bacteria destroyed. Dr. Madani places a piece of biocompatible medical textile between surviving bone and the tooth. The material blocks unwanted tissue from accessing the healing zone, enabling the bone to grow anew.
Gum Disease: Tissue-Stimulating Proteins
Dr. Madani can artificially stimulate healthy bone and tissue growth by applying matrix protein gel to a diseased tooth root. The gel mimics the proteins observed in developing tooth enamel and spurs healthy bone and tissue growth.
Peri-Implant Disease
Gum disease affecting tissue around a dental implant can destroy the tissues and bone. Signs of peri-implant diseases are similar to symptoms of gum disease: red or tender gums around the implants or bleeding when brushing.
In the early stage (peri-implant mucositis), the symptoms are limited to inflammation around an implant, with no evidence of bone loss. At this early stage, Dr. Madani can treat the patient and likely restore the implant to health.
Once the problem advances and bone loss is involved (peri-implantitis), surgical treatment is usually necessary. Dr. Madani can remove the diseased tissue, rejuvenate compromised bone, and clean the area of tartar and bacteria buildup.
Use these tips to reduce or prevent gum disease:
- Brush teeth twice a day or, for maximum protection, after every meal.
- Use a soft toothbrush and replace it regularly.
- For maximum protection, use an electric toothbrush, as most do a better job removing plaque and tartar.
- Floss daily, yes daily! Get in the habit.
- Get regular professional dental cleanings on a schedule prescribed by your Dr. Madani.
Periodontal Health Effects
Studies have shown links between periodontal (gum) disease, heart disease and other health conditions.
Research further suggests that gum disease may be a more serious risk for heart disease, more so than hypertension, smoking, cholesterol, gender or age.
Researcher's conclusions suggest that bacteria present in infected gums can become loose and move throughout the body through the bloodstream. Once bacteria reaches the arteries, they can irritate them in the same way that they irritate gum tissue causing arterial plaque, which can cause hardening and affect blood-flow.
Causes of Gum Disease
Our mouths are full of bacteria from the foods we eat. This bacteria constantly builds-up throughout the day and becomes the sticky, colorless substance on our teeth we call "plaque."
If plaque is allowed to stay on the surface of your teeth for extended periods of time, it begins to harden into "tartar." Removing plaque from daily brushing will help prevent tartar from forming. Tartar is much more difficult to remove and allows the bacteria within to eat away at the surrounding tooth and gum tissues.
As bacteria that's allowed to sit along the gumline continues, it causes the gums to become inflamed and turn red. This is known as "gingivitis" and if left untreated, it can advance to "periodontitis," which is an inflammation around the tooth that starts to affect the bony tooth-support.
At this point, gums pull away from the tooth and form "pockets" that become infected. Plaque and tartar spread and grow below the gum line and break down the bone and connective tissue. If this cycle is left untreated, it will typically progress to the point where the tooth needs to be removed.
Daily brushing and flossing as well as regular visits to the dentist help keep plaque and tartar from causing issues associated from gingivitis and periodontitis.
Healthy Gums
Healthy gums are generally pink and anchor the teeth firmly in place. Healthy gums do not bleed or hurt during normal brushing and flossing.
Early forms of gum disease can easily be treated and reversed with daily brushing and flossing and dental checkups every 6 months. Nobscot Dental Care can get you on your way to healthy gums. All you need to do is call (508) 877-0800 or request an appointment online and come in for a visit. Your gums will be glad you did!
Stages Of Gum Disease
Gingivitis is an early stage of gum disease. Gingivitis develops as toxins, enzymes and other plaque byproducts by irritating the gums, making them tender, swollen and likely to bleed easily. Gingivitis generally can be stopped with proper oral hygiene and minor treatment from your dentist. If this is achieved, your gums can return to a healthy state.
Moderate gum disease is when the tooth's bone tissue starts to deteriorate. Periodontitis occurs when plaque byproducts destroy the tissues that anchor your teeth in the bone. The gums deteriorate and begin detaching themselves from the teeth forming gum pockets, which allows more plaque to collect below the gum line. This causes the roots of the teeth to become susceptible to decay. Generally, patients notice an increase in sensitivity to hot and cold and to touch.
Advanced periodontitis occurs when a major amount of gum and bone tissue has been lost and the teeth are losing more and more support due to the loss of periodontal ligament and bone. Some teeth are unable to be saved and must be extracted. If left untreated, advanced periodontitis can cause severe health problems elsewhere in the body.
Sensitivity
Suppress the urge to avoid cleaning teeth that are sensitive to cold! Teeth that have suffered damage from gum disease will always be more sensitive to cold. Avoiding them only makes it worse.
After any dental treatment, teeth may become sensitive. This is their way of letting you know that they've been injured. Any injury (cavity, tooth clenching/grinding, gum infection) can injure the nerves in a tooth. This should not last long if the teeth are kept clean. If the teeth are not kept clean, the sensitivity will remain or get worse.
If your teeth are especially sensitive, consult with your dentist. This could be a sign of the need for root canal treatment, a gum tissue graft, a desensitizing toothpaste (with potassium nitrate), or a concentrated fluoride gel (0.4% stannous- or 1.1% sodium-fluoride) may do the trick.
