Treating Periodontal Disease
Treating periodontal disease (also known as gum disease) effectively and quickly is important; your gums are necessary to support your teeth and keep your teeth healthy. Chilliwack Family Dentistry provides periodontal disease treatment and can provide advice to prevent this disease.
The signs of a serious issue are deepening pockets between the gums and teeth. If you feel that you have a problem with your gums, please come in and see us as soon as possible; treating periodontal disease early is the best approach.
Common Types of Periodontal Disease
- Chronic periodontitis : inflammation within supporting tissues cause deep pockets and gum recession. The teeth appear to be growing or getting longer but actually the gums are receding.
- Aggressive periodontitis : this is characterized by rapid loss of gum attachment and chronic bone destruction.
- Necrotizing periodontitis : occurs in relation to other systemic conditions such as HIV, immunosuppression and malnutrition. Necrosis or tissue death occurs in the periodontal ligament, alveolar bone and gingival tissues.
- Periodontitis caused by systemic disease : can occur at an early age if there are common co-factors such as respiratory disease, diabetes and/or heart disease.
Treating Periodontal Disease
Prior to treatment we will need to do a thorough periodontal exam of your mouth: teeth, gums and jaw bone.
Common treatments for periodontal disease include:
- Scaling and root planing : the bacteria and calculus or tartar which caused the infection must be removed. The gum pockets will be cleaned and treated with antibiotics if necessary. A prescription mouthwash may need to be added to your daily oral hygiene care for a period of time.
- Tissue regeneration : if the bone and gum tissues have been damaged and/or destroyed, then re-growth can be encouraged by using grafting procedures. A membrane may need to be inserted to assist in regeneration.
- Pocket elimination surgery : this is a surgical remedy to reduce the pocket size between the gums and teeth. Surgery on the jaw bone may also be necessary to eliminate bone indentations which enable bacteria to flourish.
- Dental implants : if teeth have been lost due to this disease, they can be restored by implanting prosthetic teeth into the jawbone. It may be necessary to regenerate tissue to strengthen the bone prior to implant.You can remove decay from your tooth and fill the void with a filling.
Your health
It is essential to your overall health to prevent periodontal disease and to maintain good oral hygiene. Our team at Chilliwack Family Dentistry can help you to learn the best way to clean your teeth and gums and maintain a healthy mouth.
There is a strong connection between the mouth and body health: there are some common co-factors associated with periodontal disease that patients need to be aware of:
- Patients with diabetes may be more susceptible to periodontal disease; and this disease can also increase blood sugar levels which is not healthy for diabetics.
- There are a number of studies that have found a correlation between heart disease and periodontitis.
- Due to hormonal fluctuations that occur during puberty, pregnancy and menopause, women have an increased risk of periodontal disease.
- The oral bacteria found in gum disease has been linked to worsening respiratory tract health issues such as emphysema, pneumonia, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Treating periodontal disease needs to be a priority – the disease can have a serious negative effect on your overall health.