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Q. What is gum disease?
A. Gingivitis, swollen gums, periodontitis
and bone loss are the result of an infection caused by bacteria
in dental plaque. These bacteria produce toxins that irritate your
gums and destroy the supporting bone underneath the gum line. Symptoms
may include bleeding, bad breath, swelling and tenderness. While
you may not experience discomfort or pain during the early stages,
gum disease should be identified and treated as early as possible
to stop the disease from progressing.
If left untreated, teeth may become loose or even lost.
Q. Isn't gum disease something that only
older people get?
A. No. While periodontal disease worsens
over time, it can begin at any age.
Q. What kind of treatment is there?
A. If periodontal disease has to be treated
in your mouth, irrigation therapy will be implemented along with
scaling and root planning procedures. The areas of infection around
your teeth should be scaled to remove the bacterial deposits and
toxins. Once your root and tissue have been thoroughly debrided,
periodontal irrigation is performed, where medications are placed
underneath your gum line using small delivery devices. There are
four different irrigants used to enhance your healing and comfort
level. Irrigating solutions are designed to flush debris, oxygenate
bacteria, reduce inflammation, destroy any remaining bacteria, desensitize
and remineralize root surfaces.
Q. Is periodontal irrigation therapy a
long procedure?
A. No, the therapy typically takes 3 minutes
to perform and results in a grater healing response and comfort
level after scaling procedures.
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| Healthy
gums: Healthy gums are firm
and fill the spaces between teeth. They form a collar-like rim
around the teeth and have little dot-like indentations called
stippling. The stippled areas look like the skin of a navel
orange. Healthy gums do not bleed when you brush or eat and
are odourless. |
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| Gingivitis:
An early form of periodontal disease, gingivitis occurs when
plaque forms and adheres to the tooth surface near the gums.
They become inflamed, causing redness and puffiness around one
or more teeth. The gums bleed when brushed and it can also cause
bad breath. |
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| Periodontitis:
When the infection spreads from the gum to the underlying bone,
gingivitis becomes periodontitis. In this stage, the bone that
supports the teeth is lost. The gums detach from the tooth and
form pockets, creating even more bacterial activity. If left
untreated, tooth loss can occur. |
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