September 3, 2021
Gums are an essential part of oral anatomy. Gum disease is also known as periodontitis.
It is sensitive and easy to neglect which leads to numerous oral diseases. There are many factors at play that affect your gums, and those largely depend on
- Oral Hygiene is extremely crucial and determines the life of your teeth
- Smoking or taking drugs- Smoking and taking drugs like methamphetamine may cause severe gum problems which are not limited to discoloration of gums, black teeth, missing teeth, and weak chin bones.
- Age our gums weaken with age including the bones.
- Dietary Habit- Consuming acidic and artificial sweeteners cause our gums to weaken over time.
- Hormonal changes – increased blood flow to the gums makes it sensitive.
- Genes- Our oral health depends on our genes.
Diagnosing Gum Disease
In most cases, gum disease is only noticed after it has progressed to a stage where there are visible signs.
Dental surgeons or orthodontic specialists available at Kirkland Premier Dentistry, are well equipped to diagnose whether or not a patient is suffering from acute gum disease.
Also Read– How to Fix a Chipped Tooth?
Types of Gum Disease
Periodontitis is broad and has several stages from mild to aggressive.
- The American Academy of Periodontology has classified it into,
- Aggressive – patients may be healthy but have trouble with their gums and bones.
- Chronic – a rapid stage of inflammation of gums and bone loss.
- Caused by systemic diseases- people may have other diseases that lead to deteriorating gums like heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses.
- Necrosis – tissue damage, or caused by malnutrition.
It is easy to notice inflammation and weakened bones that support your gums and teeth.
Periodontal is where periodontitis was derived which means “around the tooth”.
The other form of gum disease is known as Gingivitis. Gingivitis is swollen or inflamed gums.
It is a nascent stage and the majority of people suffer from this condition at least once in their lifetime.
Since gingivitis is a milder form of periodontitis there may be little or no discomfort and may not appear to be as significant and we tend to disregard it.
You should consult a doctor if you are in discomfort, bleeding during oral cleaning, or face problems of bad breath.
Other noticeable changes are teeth cracking, loosened teeth, increasing gaps between your teeth, and gum discoloration.
Treating Gum Disease
It is best to seek an initial consultation to find out the best possible treatment method.
Following are the methods which dental specialists use to treat gum diseases based on their severity.
It is broadly two methods, surgical and non-surgical.
- Thorough dental cleaning – removing plaque, and tartar that has built up over time.
- Local anesthetic below the gum line.
- Graft- surgical method.
- Surgery of the bone if there is bone loss.
- Regeneration of tissue is done by the process of stimulating the bone.
We advise our patients to keep the best oral hygiene, which is essential for healthy gums.
Avoid eating sugary and acidic foods as well as refraining from alcohol and smoking tobacco will give you the best oral health ever.
