Gum Health

Treating Gum (Periodontal) Disease

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Treating Gum (Periodontal) Disease

Introduction:

We have compiled this article on “Treating Gum (Periodontal) Disease“. The reference links are at the bottom of the article.

^{^[1]}What Is Periodontitis?

Periodontitis, or gum disease, is a common infection that damages the soft tissue and bone supporting the teeth. Without treatment, the alveolar bone around the teeth will gradually erode.

Periodontitis means inflammation in the supporting structures around the tooth. Bacteria and other microorganisms stick to the surface of the tooth and in the pockets surrounding the tooth. As they multiply, the immune system reacts, leading to inflammation.

Untreated periodontitis will eventually result in tooth loss and may increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other health problems.

Periodontitis is a chronic or long-term inflammatory disease. Good oral hygiene practices can help manage or prevent it.

In this article, find out why periodontitis happens, who is at risk, and how to treat and prevent it.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of periodontitis include:

Inflamed Or Swollen Gums
Discolored Plaque Or Tartar On The Teeth
Bleeding While Brushing Or Flossing
Halitosis, Or Bad Breath
Pain When Eating Or Chewing
Sensitive Teeth
Receding Gums, Which Make The Teeth Look Longer
Extra Spaces Between The Teeth
Pus Between The Teeth And Gums
A Metallic Taste In The Mouth
Loose Or Lost Teeth
Source In The Way The Teeth Feel When Biting
Changes In The Fit Of Partial Dentures
Treatment
Treatment Aims To Clean Out Bacteria From The Pockets Around The Teeth And Prevent Further Destruction Of Bone And Tissue.

Scaling And Cleaning

Removing plaque and calculus can help restore periodontal health.

This involves:

Scaling and debridement to clean the surfaces of the teeth above the gum line and in the pockets
Polishing to smooth rough areas on the teeth, which helps prevent the buildup of plaque
Treating the teeth with fluoride

How often a person needs treatment will depend on how much plaque and tartar accumulate.

^{^[2]}Treatments For Gum Disease

There are a variety of treatments for gum disease depending on the stage of the disease, how you may have responded to earlier treatments, and your overall health.

Treatments range from nonsurgical therapies that control bacterial growth to surgery to restore supportive tissues.

Non-Surgical Treatments For Gum Disease

Professional Dental Cleaning

During a typical checkup, your dentist or dental hygienist will remove the plaque and tartar (plaque that builds up and hardens on the tooth surface and can only be removed with professional cleaning) from above and below the gum line of all teeth. If you have some signs of gum disease, your dentist may recommend professional dental cleaning more than twice a year. Dental cleanings are not a treatment for active gum disease. They are, though, an important preventive measure that can help you stave off its development.

Scaling And Root Planing

This is a deep-cleaning, nonsurgical procedure, done under a local anesthetic, whereby plaque and tartar from above and below the gum line are scraped away (scaling) and rough spots on the tooth root are made smooth (planing). Smoothing the rough spots removes bacteria and provides a clean surface for the gums to reattach to the teeth. Scaling and root planing is done if your dentist or periodontist determines that you have plaque and calculus (hardened plaque, also called tartar) under the gums that need to be removed.

Surgical Treatments For Gum Disease

Some treatments for gum disease are surgical. Some examples are:

Flap Surgery/Pocket Reduction Surgery

During this procedure, the gums are lifted back and the tartar is removed. In some cases, irregular surfaces of the damaged bone are smoothed to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide. The gums are then placed so that the tissue fits snugly around the tooth. This method reduces the size of the space between the gum and tooth, thereby decreasing the areas where harmful bacteria can grow and decreasing the chance of serious health problems associated with periodontal disease.

Bone Grafts

This procedure involves using fragments of your own bone, synthetic bone, or donated bone to replace bone destroyed by gum disease. The grafts serve as a platform for the regrowth of bone, which restores stability to teeth. New technology, called tissue engineering, encourages your own body to regenerate bone and tissue at an accelerated rate.

Soft Tissue Grafts

This procedure reinforces thin gums or fills in places where gums have receded. Grafted tissue, most often taken from the roof of the mouth, is stitched in place, adding tissue to the affected area.

Guided Tissue Regeneration

Performed when the bone supporting your teeth has been destroyed, this procedure stimulates bone and gum tissue growth. Done in combination with flap surgery, a small piece of mesh-like fabric is inserted between the bone and gum tissue. This keeps the gum tissue from growing into the area where the bone should be, allowing the bone and connective tissue to regrow to better support the teeth.

Bone Surgery

Smoothes shallow craters in the bone due to moderate and advanced bone loss. Following flap surgery, the bone around the tooth is reshaped to decrease the craters. This makes it harder for bacteria to collect and grow.

In some patients, the nonsurgical procedure of scaling and root planing is all that is needed to treat gum diseases. Surgery is needed when the tissue around the teeth is unhealthy and cannot be repaired with nonsurgical options.

Conclusion:

Thank you for reading this article, and check back frequently for other dental health articles. Should you have any questions, please contact Apple Tree Dental today!

Article compiled by Apple Tree Dental

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Why Does My Mouth Feel Dry?

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Why Does My Mouth Feel Dry?

Introduction:

We have compiled this article on “Why Does My Mouth Feel Dry?” The reference links are at the bottom of the article.

^{^[1]}Dry mouth, or xerostomia (zeer-o-SUIT-me-uh), refers to a condition in which the salivary glands in your mouth don’t make enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. Dry mouth is often due to the side effect of certain medications or aging issues or as a result of radiation therapy for cancer. Less often, dry mouth may be caused by a condition that directly affects the salivary glands.

Saliva helps prevent tooth decay by neutralizing acids produced by bacteria, limiting bacterial growth and washing away food particles. Saliva also enhances your ability to taste and makes it easier to chew and swallow. In addition, enzymes in saliva aid in digestion.

Decreased saliva and dry mouth can range from being merely a nuisance to something that has a major impact on your general health and the health of your teeth and gums, as well as your appetite and enjoyment of food.

Treatment for dry mouth depends on the cause.

^{^[2]}What Causes Dry Mouth?

Causes of dry mouth include:

Side Effect Of Certain Medications

Dry mouth is a common side effect of many prescription and nonprescription drugs, including drugs used to treat depression, anxiety, pain, allergies, and colds (antihistamines and decongestants), obesity, acne, epilepsy, hypertension (diuretics), diarrhea, nausea, psychotic disorders, urinary incontinence, asthma (certain bronchodilators), and Parkinson’s disease. Dry mouth can also be a side effect of muscle relaxants and sedatives.

Side Effect Of Certain Diseases And Infections

Dry mouth can be a side effect of medical conditions, including Sjögren’s syndrome, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, anemia, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and mumps.

Side Effect Of Certain Medical Treatments

Damage to the salivary glands, the glands that make saliva, can reduce the amount of saliva produced. For example, the damage could stem from radiation to the head and neck, and chemotherapy treatments, for cancer.

Nerve Damage

Dry mouth can be a result of nerve damage to the head and neck area from an injury or surgery.

Dehydration

Conditions that lead to dehydration, such as fever, excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, blood loss, and burns can cause dry mouth.

Surgical removal of the salivary glands.

Lifestyle

Smoking or chewing tobacco can affect how much saliva you make and aggravate dry mouth. Breathing with your mouth open a lot can also contribute to the problem.

^{^[3]}What Problems Can A Dry Mouth Cause?

Saliva plays an important role in keeping your mouth healthy. If you have a dry mouth, you may experience a number of other problems too, such as:

a burning sensation or soreness in your mouth
dry lips
bad breath (halitosis)
a decreased or altered sense of taste
recurrent mouth infections, such as oral thrush
tooth decay and gum disease
difficulty speaking, eating or swallowing

It’s important to maintain good oral hygiene if you have a dry mouth to reduce the risk of dental problems. You should also see a dentist regularly, so they can identify and treat any problems early on.

Treating A Dry Mouth

Treating The Underlying Cause

If your doctor or dentist is able to determine what’s causing your dry mouth, treating this may improve your symptoms.

For example, if medication is suspected as the cause of your dry mouth, your doctor may reduce your dose or suggest trying an alternative medication.

Some of the conditions mentioned above have specific treatments, such as nasal decongestants for a blocked nose and insulin for diabetes.

Things To Try Yourself

There are simple measures you can try to help keep your mouth moist. For example, it may help to:

increase your fluid intake – take regular sips of cold water or an unsweetened drink
suck on sugar-free sweets or chew sugar-free gum – this can stimulate your salivary glands to produce more saliva
suck on ice cubes – the ice will melt slowly and moisten your mouth
avoid alcohol (including alcohol-based mouthwashes), caffeine and smoking – these can all make a dry mouth worse

Saliva Substitutes And Stimulants

If the measures above don’t help, your dentist, GP or specialist may suggest using an artificial saliva substitute to keep your mouth moist. This may come in the form of a spray, gel or lozenge. Use it as often as you need to, including before and during meals.

If your dry mouth is caused by radiotherapy or Sjögren’s syndrome, a medication called pilocarpine may be prescribed. This is taken as a tablet several times a day to help stimulate your salivary glands to produce more saliva.

However, pilocarpine isn’t suitable for everyone, as it may cause side effects, such as sweating or headaches.

Conclusion:

Thank you for reading this article, and check back frequently for other dental health articles. Should you have any questions, please contact Apple Tree Dental today!

Article Compiled by Apple Tree Dental.

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