Periodontics – Gum Treatment

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Periodontics is a branch of dentistry that includes gum diseases and their treatment. The word periodontal means the area around the tooth. Gingiva means gum. The terms used for gum inflammation are “gingivitis” and “periodontitis”.

What are the Causes of Gum Disease?

Although plaque is the main cause of periodontal diseases, health problems such as age, smoking, genetics, stress, cancer, and high blood pressure are also risk factors for periodontal diseases.

Birth control pills, antidepressants, some heart disease medications, teeth clenching-grinding, poor diet, and obesity affect gum health.

Symptoms of Gum Disease

Gum diseases often proceed without symptoms and symptoms do not appear until the advanced stages of the disease. However, the warning signs of gum disease are:

• Persistent bad breath
• Formation of sores in the mouth
• Pus discharge from the gums
• Loss of teeth or gaps in the teeth
• Incompatibility with existing partial dentures
• Redness, swelling, tenderness and pain in the gums
• Recession of the gums, making the teeth appear longer than they are
• Bleeding gums when brushing, flossing and eating something hard

Gum Disease - Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease. The gums become red, swollen, edematous and bleeding. There is no destruction of the bone supporting the teeth yet. Gingivitis often occurs due to improper oral care. With good oral care and treatment, the gums return to their former form.

Factors that increase the disease include diabetes, smoking, genetic factors, systemic diseases, stress, improper diet, hormonal changes, pregnancy, HIV infections and the use of certain medications.

Gum Disease – Periodontitis

Untreated gingivitis can progress to periodontitis. Over time, toxins from bacteria in plaque that accumulates on the teeth irritate the gums. The supporting bone and tissues around the tooth begin to collapse. The gums separate from the tooth, forming a pocket. As the disease progresses, the pocket deepens and gum and bone destruction increases. If this process is not treated, bone destruction in the teeth increases, necessitating tooth extraction.

Prevention of Gum Disease

Periodontal diseases, also known as gum disease, are diseases caused by the accumulation of bacterial plaque between the tooth and the gum. When gum disease is not treated, inflammation damages the structure of the gums and bone; causing gum recession and tooth loss.

Things to be done regularly to prevent gum disease;

• Brushing teeth
• Using dental floss
• Using mouthwash
• Stone cleaning
• Dentist check-up
• Knowing risk factors

Stone cleaning

Stone cleaning is the most common and preventive treatment method among the treatments of gum diseases. Tartar and plaque, also known as tartar, are removed in tartar cleaning.

Dental plaque is a sticky substance and the majority consists of bacteria. Tartar is formed as plaque hardens over time. Plaque and tartar adhere to the tooth surface, especially the root surface under the gum line. Since plaque tends to adhere to rough surfaces, root surfaces need to be smoothed. In this process, all tartar is cleaned and irregularities on the root surface are eliminated.

What to Do After Tartar Cleaning

There may be hot-cold sensitivity and mild pain that will disappear two or three days after the treatment. Painkillers can be used to eliminate the pain. After tartar cleaning and root surface smoothing, antiseptic mouthwashes can be used, especially when there is pain that makes oral hygiene difficult. At the same time, brushing and flossing should be continued. There may be slight bleeding on the first day after tartar cleaning and root surface smoothing.

Effects of Gum Disease on the Body

Inflammation caused by periodontal disease increases the formation of other diseases in the body. Treating inflammation helps both periodontal disease treatment and other chronic inflammatory conditions.

Cancer:

Scientific studies have shown that men with gum disease have a 49% or higher risk of kidney cancer; the risk of developing pancreatic cancer is 54%, and the risk of blood cancer is 30%.

Diabetes:

The probability of developing periodontal disease is high in diabetic patients. The relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease is two-way: Severe periodontal disease increases blood sugar; therefore, diabetic complications increase.

Osteoporosis:

The relationship between osteoporosis and jaw bone loss has been shown in many scientific studies. Osteoporosis can also cause a decrease in the density of the jaw bone, leading to tooth loss.  

Heart Diseases:

It has been determined that inflammation caused by periodontal disease increases the risk of heart disease. Periodontal disease can increase existing heart disease.

Respiratory diseases:

It has been determined that bacteria in the mouth settle into the lungs with the breath taken and cause respiratory diseases such as pneumonia.

Surgical Periodontal Treatments

With periodontal surgery, the gums are lifted, all inflammatory tissues are cleaned, bacterial residues and dental stones in the pocket on the root surface are cleaned, irregular and damaged bone surfaces are corrected if necessary, and regenerative procedures can be performed depending on the status of bone destruction.

Surgical and non-surgical treatment methods are very important in reducing pocket depth and stopping the progression of existing bacteria and periodontal disease. It is not enough to ensure gum health alone. In order to prevent the disease from recurring, it is mandatory to provide daily oral hygiene and to continue periodontal control appointments determined by the doctor for life.

Gingivectomy and Gingivoplasty

Gingivectomy is the surgical removal of gum tissue. Gingivoplasty is the shaping of healthy gum tissue around the teeth. These procedures are performed by periodontists who are experts in gum disease and gum surrounding tissues. Gingivectomy is a treatment developed for the treatment of gum disease. Today, it is also used for aesthetic arrangements.

With the help of gingivoplasty, the reshaped gums have a more natural appearance. Gums that are deformed or asymmetrical due to genetics, disease or trauma can be corrected with this procedure. This procedure can also be performed solely for cosmetic reasons. Gingivoplasty is usually applied alone. However, in some cases, it can be applied after gingivectomy or after a graft application added to the gum at the gum border.

Gum Flap Surgery

In gum flap surgery, the gums are separated from the teeth and temporarily folded. Thus, the dentist can see the tooth root and tooth bone.

The purpose of gum flap surgery is to treat gum disease (periodontitis). This procedure is recommended for people with moderate or advanced gum disease. If gum infection cannot be eliminated with a non-surgical method, gum flap surgery is used. Gum flap surgery can also be performed together with another procedure, bone surgery.

Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment

In the non-surgical periodontal treatment method, plaque and tartar on the root surface and in the pocket are cleaned, bacterial toxins are removed and the root surface is corrected. This procedure is performed with local anesthesia. Sometimes local antibiotics, systemic antibiotics, host modulators and dental laser are used to assist this procedure.

Gum Recession and Treatment Methods

Gum recession due to periodontal diseases occurs due to bone destruction. Sometimes the gums are healthy but gum recession occurs. This situation mostly occurs due to habits such as incorrect tooth brushing, teeth grinding, edge incompatibilities caused by faulty prosthesis or fillings, crookedness or incorrect positioning of the teeth, smoking and increasing age. The thinness or thickness of the gums is another factor that determines the severity of recession.

Gum Enlargement

Gum enlargement can develop due to inflammation caused by bacteria, hormonal; due to medication such as pregnancy and puberty, or due to benign or malignant tumors and some systemic disorders.

Treatment of gum enlargement includes the removal of the enlarged tissues and the restoration of the gum to its former healthy borders, as well as the elimination of the factors.