The oral cavity is a huge organ with many small parts in it. Unfortunately, many patients do not think of their mouths in this light. To most people, the mouth is mostly the tongue and teeth. While most dental works are focused on these main areas, they are not the only ones. Another large part of the oral cavity is the gum tissue. Its role is fundamental, and its coverage significant. Read on to find out more about the dental problems associated with the gum tissue, and the treatments thereof.
What Is Periodontal Disease?
It is a medical term used to refer to the infection of the gum tissue, otherwise known as gum disease. The gum tissue is part of the periodontium, which is where the disease gets its name.
The infection of the gum tissue happens when bacteria in the mouth change into harmful bacteria, as a result of mixing up with plaque and other substances in the mouth. Plaque is a substance that forms on the surface of teeth as a result of poor hygiene. It features a mixture of saliva, food residue, acids, and bacteria in your mouth. The plaque settles at the bottom of your teeth’s surface and eventually starts to penetrate the gum tissue.
Most patients who need periodontitis treatment in Kennesaw have a problem with proper oral hygiene. However, this is not the only known cause of gum disease.
Causes of Gum Disease
A dental hygienist in Kennesaw will tell you that even though poor oral hygiene is the leading cause of gum disease, it is not exclusive to that. Some other causes include:
- Smoking
- Damage by oral appliance, like a dental crown of dental braces.
- The health condition in your body, manifesting in your oral cavity. Examples include diabetes and heart diseases.
- Genetic vulnerability
Treatment Options For Gum Disease
Treating gum disease is nothing like root canal treatment in Kennesaw. More often than not, the treatment options will involve slight adjustments in your lifestyle ha its and activities.
The firsts step of your treatment will only commence after a thorough dental exam. Your dentist has to ascertain that you have gum disease and not any other condition. Besides, the progression of the infection merits more drastic measures. For this reason, dental x-rays to be part of the examination process. The scanned images will help the dentist identify how extensive the infection is, relative to the amount of damage caused. After this, the dental expert can conclusively determine which treatment will best suit you. Among the alternatives you have are the following:
- Professional dental cleaning – do you ever think that perhaps what you need is one deep clean to get you back on the right track with your oral hygiene? A deep clean for your teeth is a great way to get rid of all plaque and tartar in your mouth. In the process, the bacteria in your mouth causing the infection will be cleared. Along with this comes scaling and root planing, which is a way of scraping off plaque and tartar from the surfaces of your teeth.
- Antibiotic treatments – mild cases of gum infection can be controlled with antibiotics. These can help kill the harmful bacteria and reduce any inflammation thereof.
- Change in type of toothpaste – some kinds of toothpaste have been known to help reduce plaque and gingivitis, because of the fluoride and an antibiotic content in them. However, be sure you are getting the recommendation from your dentist, as opposed to randomly making your own choices.
- Pocket reduction surgery – it is also called flap surgery, which is the process of reducing the gum pockets in your mouth. With gum disease, the gum tissue recedes from the teeth, forming deep pockets at the root of teeth. These need to be reduced to restore the health of the gum tissue.
- Gum grafting – if a lot of your gum tissue has been damaged, gum grafting is necessary to help restore your gums.
- Bone grafting – advanced cases of periodontal disease lead to thinning of the gum tissue, which can weaken your jawbone. Bone grafting, therefore, may be necessary to restore your bone tissue.
