June 29, 2021
Pyorrhea is nothing but advanced gum disease, more commonly called periodontitis.
It is a widely recognized fact that oral health is a mirror of your overall health.
It begins with maintaining healthy gums, although most people link oral hygiene only with the teeth.
Actually, your teeth are healthy as long as you keep the gums strong, otherwise, you start losing your teeth one by one.
Gums support and confine the teeth, therefore keeping them disease-free is of utmost importance.
If you have an onset of pyorrhea, start damage control immediately.
But before you do that, you must understand how to recognize it early, why it occurs, the projected complications and how to cure it.
How to Recognize Pyorrhea- Signs & Symptoms
What is Pyorrhea?
The term comes from the Greek language meaning the “Discharge of Pus”.
Also called periodontitis, pyorrhea is a multi-factorial disease that directly affects the gum tissues and the bones in the mouth.
The disease is bacterial in nature and a consequence of untreated gingivitis.
Since it progresses from gingivitis, its signs & symptoms are significant and not to be ignored.
At Kirkland Premier Dentistry Dr. Gaurav Sharma has 400+ hours of Continuing education from the prestigious AAID (American Academy of Implant Dentistry) He applies for the latest research & advances in dentistry to provide the best dental care to patients.
It quickly leads to the next step – tooth loss. Whenever you identify with any of the following symptoms contact the dentist near you ASAP in Kirkland premier Dentistry:
- Swollen or tender gums that bleed easily
- Bad breath
- Loose teeth
- Painful chewing
- Pus between the teeth & gums
- Tender & sensitive gums
- Bleeding while flossing or brushing
- Deep pockets form between the teeth
- Receding gums, making your teeth look longer
Also Read- Cleft Lip and Palate – All the Things You Should Know About
Why Is Occurs- Reasons for Pyorrhea
Pyorrhea is an oral condition occurring due to plaque build-up along gum lines.
Plaque is a sticky inflexible film, laden with bacteria that keep emitting acids and toxins harmful to the teeth, gums as well as bones in the mouth. It leads to disease and loss of bone & teeth.
If left untreated, plaque gets converted into a hard calcified structure known as calculus or Tartar.
This tartar is the root cause of gum inflammation, bleeding, paining & receding- all signs of pyorrhea.
Basically, if you are complacent about oral hygiene in general and not following the brushing twice and flossing once routine, you will invite a lot of oral problems. If not pyorrhea, then caries and tooth loss.
Among medical conditions, diabetes has a direct effect on gum health and not only pyorrhea but also creates complications, if you already have gum disease.
Among lifestyle habits, smoking is a killer for the gums. It is a good reason to quit. It brings bone loss, gum disease, and tooth decay. Also interferes with gingivitis treatment.
Regular massage of the gums is also important.
Dealing with Pyorrhea- the Complications
Delaying or not being meticulous with treatment can aggravate any disease.
Untreated or advanced pyorrhea brings a risk of other diseases such as cardiovascular disease, lung infections, premature labor, or having a low-weight baby if a pregnant lady is infected. It does not cause the above conditions, just increases the risk.
Additional complications include recurrent gum boils (painful masses of pus), progressive damage to the ligaments that connect the tooth to its socket, and loss of the alveolar bone – the bone in the jaw that contains tooth sockets.
Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis or ANUG is an advanced stage of gingivitis that may occur causing severe damage to tissues in the cheeks and lips.
Treatment of Pyorrhea at Kirkland
Pyorrhea is entirely curable. The prime in-office treatment involves removing plaque from the surface of the tooth & gums. Other treatments include:
Sustaining Suitable Oral Hygiene Practices
All these are aimed at targeting the bacteria colonies inside the moth.
At Kirkland Premier Dentistry, we provide advice on how to use toothbrushes & floss to keep your teeth and gums decontaminated.
We also recommend other oral hygiene products like mouthwash or water pick for better hygiene.
Professional Scaling & Root Planing
The method for pyorrhea treatment involves removing excessive plaque/tartar from the teeth & their roots.
The dentist also polishes the teeth & treats them with fluoride. To promote fast healing, deep cleaning of periodontal pockets is needed.
Antibiotic Medicines
Sometimes antibiotics are also prescribed to check the progression of bacteria & plaque. Antibiotics may be for application or consumption or both.
Flap Surgery
When initial treatments do not show results, your periodontist may advise a surgical procedure known as flap surgery.
The surgery helps in removing deposits that have formed underneath the gums. Also, if there is severe bone loss, bone grafting surgery may be required in some cases.
Other measures that the patients can take:
- Quitting smoking
- Attend follow-up appointments without fail
- Flossing once or twice a day
- Using electric toothbrushes and other flossing devices is also recommended, wherever suitable.
For any kind of dental emergency, feel free to contact us online or call the office.
