CAUSES OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE

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1 PERIODONTICS Periodontal means around the tooth and this disease attacks the gums and the bone that support the teeth. Four out of five people have periodontal disease (also known as periodontitis and gum disease) and don t know it! It is usually painless in the early stages. Periodontal disease is the main reason behind tooth loss. It is a major problem as research has shown that there is a link between periodontal disease and other diseases such as stroke, bacterial pneumonia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and increased risk during pregnancy. Before you panic - please read what US Dental can do for you! With proper treatment, the progression of the disease can be slowed down or stopped completely.

2 CAUSES OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE Family history:! If you have family history of periodontal disease then you are six times!!! more likely to develop the disease. Regular check ups mean that your!!! dentist can detect it at an early stage. Hormones:!! During puberty / pregnancy / menopause, you are more likely to!!! develop this condition. Your gum tissue becomes much more!!! sensitive and therefore at risk. Poor dental hygiene:!! Thorough and regular teeth cleaning can prevent periodontal disease!!! by ensuring that bacteria and tartar are removed. Regular visits to US!!! Dental for cleaning, examinations and x-rays will also help you stay!!! healthy. Smoking:!! There are two main problems for smokers. Firstly, they are more likely!!! to have a build up of tartar on their teeth as well as deep pockets in!!! the gingival tissue and bone loss. Secondly, smokers suffer from a!!! slower recovery and healing time. Chronic stress and poor diet:! Your immune system is lowered when suffering from stress and!!! therefore bacterial infections can invade the body. Poor diet affects!!! gums as well. Grinding Teeth:! This can damage the tissue surrounding the teeth. Diabetes:!! Many medical conditions can bring on or speed up gum disease.!!! Diabetes in particular as the body is unable to properly use insulin!!! which makes bacterial infections more difficult to control and cure.

3 SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE Sometimes only regular check ups will diagnose periodontal disease as the signs aren t always obvious and there may not be any pain. The most common symptoms are listed below: Bleeding gums when flossing or brushing your teeth - or even eating. A bacterial infection in the gums is caused by the toxins in plaque. Red and swollen gums for no apparent reason. Longer-looking teeth caused by gum recession. Toxins can destroy the supporting bones and tissues. Gum recession can also be caused by over brushing with a hard brush. Loose teeth or movement of teeth is also a sign of periodontal infection. As the toxins damage the bone, teeth that were firmly attached to the jawbone can become loose. Halitosis (bad breath) can come from various places - back of the tongue, lungs, stomach, from food, smoking as well as small pieces of food stuck in between your teeth or under your gum line. Pus coming from between the teeth is a certain indication that you have periodontitis.

4 TYPES AND TREATMENT OF SPECIFIC PERIODONTAL DISEASE All the following conditions need treatment in order to save the bone and gum tissue. Gingivitis - caused by plaque irritating your gums. This is the most common form of periodontitis and is the earliest stage of gum disease. The people at most risk of developing gingivitis are those with uncontrolled diabetes, steriod users and people taking medication for controlling seizures and blood pressure. Gingivitis can also be linked to hormones so pregnant women, those taking birth control pills or teenagers going through puberty are also at risk. Treatment of Gingivitis - thankfully, gingivitis is easily treated. Your dentist at US Dental may refer you to either the hygienist or periodontist depending on the severity of the gum disease. Simply, your teeth will be cleaned with a gritty toothpaste using an electric toothbrush and special instruments called scalers. This thorough cleaning is known as scaling. Your dentist may use a combination of antibiotics and medicated mouthwashes to kill any remaining bacteria and aid healthy healing. Chronic Periodontal Disease - this is mainly found in people aged over 45. Your dentist will diagnose this if they find inflammation below the gum line and damage to the bone tissues. It will be clear that your gums are receding. Treatment of Chronic Periodontal Disease - as this is a more serious condition, it is not possible to completely cure it although your dentist can certainly improve or reduce it. As with gingivitis, your dentist can use scaling and treatment with antibiotics to improve the condition. Your dentist may refer you to the periodontist who may perform surgical treatments such as pocket reduction surgery and tissue grafts in order to strengthen the bone. Aggressive Periodontal Disease - this is diagnosed based on the speed of bone loss and damage as well as gum detachment. Smokers and those with a family history of periodontal disease are the ones who are most likely to suffer from this. Treatment of Aggressive Periodontal Disease - Clearly the treatment is the same as treatment for chronic periodontal disease but the patient is more likely to undergo surgery. Your dentist may even use laser procedures to save tissue and bone.

5 TREATMENT The most common procedures your periodontist will use are: Sealing and root planing - where they will gently remove the bacteria and clean out the gum pockets. It may be necessary to use antibiotics to remove the infection and your dentist may suggest you use a prescription mouthwash. Dental implants - if teeth have been lost due to periodontal disease then your dentist may choose to restructure your mouth using implants. It may be necessary to undergo tissue regeneration procedures so that the bone is strengthened. Tissue regeneration - if your bone and gum tissue have been destroyed, your dentist can use a grafting procedure to encourage regrowth. A membrane may be inserted into the affected areas to aid the regeneration of the tissue. Pocket elimination surgery - is carried out to reduce the pocket size between the teeth and gums. Surgery on the jawbone maybe another option in order to remove indentations in the bone and therefore preventing pockets of bacteria forming.