Gum diseases or periodontal diseases are bacterial infections caused by inflammation of the supportive tissues of the teeth. If initial inflammation in gum diseases isn’t prevented, it may result in periodontitis (advanced gingival recession and bone tissue destruction). This is typically caused by bacteria build-up between your teeth and at the junctions with your gums.
Bacteria in contact with food form a coating called bacterial plaque. You may not notice these plaques at first, but there is even a risk of tooth loss and related jaw bone loss in the future. Regular oral hygiene and care will protect you from gum disease.
Causes of Gum Diseases
Our gums protect the roots that fix the teeth to the jaw by attaching them to the jawbone. The passage from the tooth to the gum is called the periodontal pocket. This area is a cavity in few millimeters deep that can be cleaned with dental floss. This is where your gums are most sensitive. At this point, bacteria, acid, and food residues can go down to deeper tissues through periodontal pockets.
Some of the causes of gum disease are unhealthy diet, inadequate oral care, smoking, diabetes, and many other factors. Also, the most common gum disease is gingivitis caused by bacteria or plaque. This is a common disease.
Gingivitis may not be a problem at first. However, if gingivitis isn’t treated, it may result in periodontitis. This means that the inflammation has spread to the entire periodontium. In severe cases, the gum separates from the tooth and retract. If the inflammation reaches the bone of the tooth’s root, it can even cause tooth loss.
Symptoms of Gum Diseases
Symptoms of gum disease progress in two stages:
First stage: Gingivitis
In most cases, gum disease develops slowly and is usually painless at first. This first stage is also called gingivitis. However, you may also experience some invisible symptoms:
- Slight or severe bleeding of the gums while brushing the teeth,
- Color changes in the gums,
- Swelling of the gums,
- Sensitivity to the touch in the gums and chronic bad breath.
If you have at least one of these symptoms, you can contact us immediately. We can quickly treat this problem during the gingivitis procedure. If not treated, this problem may progress further. Getting treatment at the first stage will stop the disease from progressing and protect you from other treatment needs.
Second stage: Periodontitis
In the second stage, called periodontitis, all the supportive tissues of your teeth are affected. The supportive bone of your teeth also begins to deteriorate. Periodontitis becomes chronic within a few years. The following other symptoms will occur gradually:
- Your teeth begin to feel loos. Due to the opening of the tooth root surfaces, your teeth become hypersensitive.
- The teeth lose their attachment to the alveolodental ligament and become loose.
- Gaps appear between your teeth.
- Abscesses can also occur in your gums.
Also, untreated periodontitis may have effects on your general health status. Poor oral health, particularly in the occurrence of severe periodontal disease, can initiate or exacerbate local or distant infectious symptoms.
Treatment of Gum Diseases
By diagnosing your periodontal diseases immediately after they occur, we can treat this problem in a short time. For the treatment of gum disease, we aim to improve the overall health of your gums.
In this process, we will remove the plaque and tartar accumulated on your teeth and make the root of your teeth smooth and free from bacteria. If your condition is a bit more severe, then surgical treatment may be required.
How Do You Protect Your Gums?
Since a healthy mouth starts in your gums, it’s essential to have an oral hygiene routine special for the health of your gums to protect yourself from gum disease. If you have healthy gums, your teeth are strongly supported by your gum tissue. As a result, your chance to maintain long-term oral health significantly increases.
However, if you don’t keep your gums healthy, it increases your chances of developing gum disease, which can cause many oral and dental health problems. Long-term chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and symptoms of high inflammation in the blood can be associated with periodontitis, a severe type of gum disease. You can follow some of the easy steps every day to keep your gums healthy:
- Toothbrush: To protect your gums, choose an antibacterial toothbrush with soft and dense bristles to reduce irritation. The toothbrush stimulates your gums and penetrates hard-to-reach places.
- Toothpaste: We recommend you brush your teeth twice a day with a non-abrasive toothpaste that doesn’t contain SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) (foaming agent) and has a small granule size. These can effectively remove bacteria from plaque that builds up below the gum line, which can cause bleeding and even gum disease, without damaging your gum tissue.
- Dental floss and interface brushes: It’s essential to clean the interfaces of your teeth with dental floss and interface brushes to prevent gum problems and keep gums healthy.