About Periodontology

Periodontology is a field of dentistry dealing with the study and treatment of the dental supportive structure (periodontium): gums, bone and fibers which connect the tooth to the bone. Periodontium stands for „around the tooth”.

Periodontium diseases

Periodontium diseases are usually slow, progressive and painless in their development. 75% of people 35+ have one thing in common: at least one disease of the periodontium. After caries, periodontitis is the second most common oral cavity disease. After the age of 40, more people lose their natural teeth due to periodontitis than to caries.

The foe in our mouth is called the plaque bacteria. Plaque is a colorless cluster of bacteria which remains on teeth, crowns, bridges and other oral cavity tissues. It is the main cause of the decay of the dental supportive structure and, if not removed, it can lead to instability and falling out of teeth and decay of the jaw bone.

If your hands were bleeding every time you washed them, you would take that seriously, wouldn’t you? However, most people do not pay any special attention to the bleeding of the gums at brushing or flossing. But, beware! This is a sure indicator of the inflammation of the gums edges. This kind of inflammation is characteristic for gingivitis, which is the primary stage of periodontitis. If left untreated, the inflammation spreads to the inner layers causing the formation of the so-called gingivital pocket between the tooth and the gums. As a result periodontitis developes as the gravest form of the dental supportive structure disease.

Causes of periodontitis

The causes of periodontitis can be manifold, but the primary causes are poor oral hygiene and bad lifestyle habits such as smoking or teeth grinding. Some of the symptoms are as follows: inflammation and swelling of the gums, redness, receding of the gums, teeth instability, bad breath, and unpleasant taste in the mouth. Most people don’t recognize them and consider them normal.

The presence of the plaque bacteria is necessary for the development of periodontitis. Poor oral hygiene allows it to build up on the surface of the teeth and the acids which it produces destroy the enamel and create a perfect environment for the inflammation of the dental supportive structure.

Treatment

In case of periodontitis, you should seek professional advice from a dentist as soon as possible. Based on the progress of the disease, the dentist will determine the treatment and explain what the best course of action is. The therapy always commences with the removal of the tartar and plaque build-up since they are primary causes of the disease. Apart from removing causes, it’s also necessary to perform a deep cleaning of the gingival pockets. If the disease is in an advanced stage, anti inflammation medicine will be prescribed and there might even be a need for a surgical removal of the diseased gums. If the treatment starts on time, the chances for a complete recovery are mainly good.

Prevention

As with caries, maintaining a good oral hygiene is crucial since it’s the best protection from periodontitis. Regular tartar and plaque removal from the teeth surface has to be left to an experienced dentist. It would be best to remove it twice a year in order to achieve the highest level of protection.