The Perils Of Periodontitis

This later stage of gum disease can be disastrous for your teeth and oral health

It has been a little while since we wrote about gum disease and why poor gum maintenance should be addressed. It can be all too easy to focus on the teeth as these are what people notice when we smile (although inflamed gums are often noticeable too).

Whilst having a healthy set of teeth is important, maintaining healthy gums is too, and as an old song goes ‘you can’t have one without the other’.

Today we will look at how you, along with your local Bedford dentist, can help you maintain healthy gums; but first, a brief reminder of the main stages of gum disease and the symptoms and risks associated with them.

Gingivitis

This is the earlier stage of gum disease where a number of symptoms may be noticed. It is important to note that these may not always be obvious and this is another reason to ensure that you see the hygienist at The Dental Centre Bedford on a regular basis, usually every six months.

At this stage you may notice blood when you spit after brushing your teeth. Your gums may also feel sore or look red and inflamed and some bad breath may be present too. As this is generally caused by an increase in ‘bad’ oral bacteria, you will need to address the problem at this point to prevent things from becoming much worse.

Periodontitis

This is an advanced stage of gum disease and one that is a significant cause for concern. Along with the symptoms mentioned above, albeit often more severe, there is one major issue which is much more difficult to treat and reverse. Whilst gingivitis largely affects the soft tissue of the gum, periodontitis also affects the roots of the teeth and the bone surrounding it. As the bone is attacked by bacteria, it starts to deteriorate. As this happens, the tooth may gradually  become loose and move around. Eventually, if left untreated, the tooth may be lost altogether.

How does gum disease occur?

Although some people may be less able to fight off gum disease, such as those with suppressed immunity, for most of us it should be relatively straightforward. Gum disease occurs when the number of harmful bacteria in our mouths grows out of control. There are many factors contributing to this but the bottom line is that providing that we look after our teeth and gums, it shouldn’t present too many problems.

Prevention

If you brush your teeth regularly, you have made a good start but there is still significant room for improvement. Perhaps you ‘flat brush’ the surface of your teeth but pay less attention to your gums? Make a conscious effort, when you brush your teeth, to point the bristles towards the gums so that they reach beneath the gum line and remove any trapped food particles and bacteria that may be harboured there. Using a toothpaste aimed at gum disease can help too.

Another thing that you definitely should do is to floss between your teeth. Far too few patients do this and by missing this step out, leave sometimes significant numbers of bacteria and food trapped between the teeth. This will not only potentially lead to tooth decay but will help to increase the bacteria that can attack the gums too. Flossing is easy to do with a little practice and there are many instructional videos available online to help. If you really struggle though, please talk to our dental hygienist who will be able to offer advice that may help.

Finally, please make sure that you see our hygienist every six months, or more frequently if advised. Not only will they be able to offer help and advice but also carry out a scale and polish procedure which will thoroughly clean your teeth and gums and significantly help you in the fight against gum disease.

Treating periodontitis

While reversing gingivitis is possible, this is not always the case with periodontitis. While the above advice still applies; if it has advanced to the point where the bone is affected, you might need a ‘root planing’ or ‘deep clean’. This is an invasive procedure that attempts to clean and remove bacteria from the affected areas. Whilst this is the only treatment which can achieve this aim, it is not always successful and we can only emphasise that it is far better (and relatively easy with a bit more attention to your cleaning routine) to prevent it from getting this far.

Please make sure that you do all that you can on a daily basis to take good care, not only of your teeth, but your gums too. We strongly recommend that if you don’t already, you book yourself in for an appointment with the hygienist at our clinic – if you would like to make an appointment, please contact The Dental Centre Bedford today on 01234 819868.