Periodontal Disease

The word “peri” simply means around while “odontal” means teeth. Thus, periodontal diseases refer to the infections around the structures of the teeth. Periodontal disease is a pathological condition of the teeth gums the bony structures surrounding the teeth. The structures around the teeth include the gums, the periodontal ligament, alveolar bones and the cementum that functions to cover the root. There are two common types of periodontal diseases; gingivitis and periodontitis.

Causes of Periodontal disease

The periodontal disease is commonly caused by the bacteria’s situated in the dental plaque. The dental plaque refers to the sticky substances that develop on your teeth shortly after you finished brushing. In an effort get rid of these set of bacteria, the immune system releases some elements that inflame and destroys the gums, alveolar bones and the periodontal ligament. As a result of these, your gums get swollen and start to bleed. This is the earliest stage of periodontal disease called gingivitis. The damages from the periodontal disease can also make your teeth becomes loose. This is the advanced stage of periodontal disease and can also be called severe periodontitis.

Risks and Prevention

The primary cause of periodontal disease is as a result of actions performed by the bacteria’s in the plaque. Apart from that, there are also several other factors that are also responsible for periodontal disease. They include oral habit, medicines and many more. Once the infection sets in, they can increase your risk of gum disease and can even worsen the condition.

  1. Medicines: Numerous types of illnesses can result in dry mouth or xerostomia, for instance, the drugs for high blood pressure and depression. If you do not have enough saliva, a plaque is more likely to develop in your teeth and cause tooth decay. Other varieties of medicines can cause enlargement of your gums. These medicines include phenytoin, nifedipine, cyclosporine and many more.
  2. Diseases: if you are battling with some specific conditions such as diabetes you may likely be at high risk of periodontal diseases. Diabetic patients are more likely at risk of periodontal diseases. Other diseases that can increase the risk of periodontal disease include arthritis, rheumatoid and HIV infection. If you are battling with any of these conditions, your control of periodontal disease can be a bit difficult. However, a good Denver dentist can give you enough guidance on how to maintain your health with periodontal disease.

Treatment options for periodontal disease

The basic treatment option for periodontal disease is the plaque removal from the tooth surface and below the gum lines around the tooth bones and the roots. The procedure is called scaling and can be done by a cosmetic Denver dentist. The scaling is done with some specific instrument such as the scalers. An ultrasound device can also be used to lose the plaque so it can quickly be flushed away with natural water. Your Denver dentist may also prescribe some antibiotics. They function to reduce and control the bacterial levels of the mouth, and you are free from periodontal disease.

There you have it! Some of the things you need to know about periodontal diseases. However, treatment of periodontal disease is less invasive and less expensive when the issue is addressed at the early stage. But if untreated and allowed to graduate to the chronic periodontal disease, it may result in gum surgery to treat the infection and promote the bone and gum recovery. Above all, a proactive oral checkup is the best way to prevent periodontal diseases and its impact on the overall general health.

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