Gum Disease

Many people do not understand the consequences and severity of gum disease left untreated. Unluckily, some opt to overlook the signs of this disease, thinking they are simply minor problems resulting from poor dental hygiene habits. However, gum disease can have severe health effects beyond the mouth, so appropriately addressing it is essential.

At The Hawthorne Dentist, we are devoted to improving and protecting our patients’ and community’s oral and general health. Our dental professionals are equipped to reverse and stop gum disease progression, averting tooth loss and possibly life-threatening health issues. We provide our patients with advanced, safe, and effective gum disease treatments, ensuring they receive the best care possible for their dental health.

If you believe you may have gum disease or any other dental issue, do not hesitate to contact us for an examination.

Gum Disease Overview

Gum disease is also known as periodontitis or periodontal disease; it is a severe infection that destroys the soft tissue surrounding teeth, anchoring them in position (gums). This infection begins when bacteria develop in the mouth. Bacteria accumulate when you do not brush or floss properly and adequately. If left untreated, gum disease will damage the bone that anchors teeth, loosening or causing them to fall off. It can also cause redness, swelling, and pain.

Gum disease is prevalent but is often preventable. It is usually the consequence of not caring for your teeth and mouth. To prevent gum disease or improve your chances of effective treatment, brush twice daily, floss daily, and schedule routine dental checkups and cleanings.

Periodontitis vs. Gingivitis

Gingivitis is redness, bleeding, and swelling in the section of the gums surrounding teeth. It is a mild form of gum disease that can graduate to periodontal disease if left untreated. When you do not floss, brush, and rinse your mouth using a mouth rinse, a sticky layer of food and bacteria called plaque accumulates on the teeth’s surfaces and around them. The film generates acids that damage the enamel, causing decay.

After seventy-two hours, the plaque hardens and becomes tartar, forming along the gum line. This makes it challenging to clean gums and teeth thoroughly. With time, this accumulation inflames and irritates your gums, leading to gingivitis.

When you have developed periodontal disease, the inner bone and gum layer recede from your teeth, and pockets develop. These tiny pockets between gums and teeth collect food particles and may become infected. The body’s immunity fights off the bacteria while the plaque grows and spreads underneath the gum line. 

Poisons and toxins the bacteria harbored in plaque generate, and the body’s enzymes fighting infections begin to disintegrate the connective tissue and bone that anchor teeth in position. As the infection worsens, the pockets become deeper, and more bone and gum tissue are destroyed. It reaches a point where teeth will no longer be held in position; they loosen, and tooth loss follows. Periodontitis is one of the leading reasons for tooth loss among grown-ups.

Stages of Periodontal Disease

Non-diseased gums usually feel firm when touched. They do not swell or bleed. However, periodontitis can lead to discolored (purplish or reddish), bleeding, and swollen gums. Periodontitis can destroy the underlying jawbone when left untreated, resulting in potential tooth loss or loose teeth.

The disintegration of the tissues surrounding teeth occurs slowly. In fact, many people do not feel pain with periodontitis, moreso during the initial stages. So, it is crucial to comprehend the warning symptoms. Gum disease develops in four stages:

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the early stage of periodontitis. It begins with red, slightly swollen gums that might bleed whenever you floss your teeth or brush. At this point, there is no jawbone loss. Consequently, gingivitis is 100% reversible with the proper treatment and early intervention.

Mild Periodontitis

If not treated, gingivitis graduates to the second stage, mild periodontitis. At this point, bacteria have trickled under your gums, impacting the anchoring bones. The gums might recede from the teeth, forming small pockets around the teeth. Bacteria, food debris, and plaque harbor in these small pockets, and floss and a toothbrush cannot access them to remove them. They then end up damaging the teeth even further.

Moderate Periodontitis

The third stage is moderate periodontitis. If not treated, bacteria start eroding the soft tissues, jawbone, and ligaments that anchor teeth in position. You might notice pus and foul breath around the gum line, signaling infection. Some individuals start experiencing pain and discomfort at this point.

Advanced Periodontitis

As periodontitis worsens, the tissue and bone around the teeth become more damaged, and the loss of the jawbone continues. This could make your teeth loosen and finally fall out.

When you treat it early enough, periodontitis is reversible. However, if you have already lost the bone surrounding your teeth because of the disease, then the infection is too progressed to reverse. But you could manage it using the right treatment and diligent, consistent dental hygiene.

Symptoms of Gum Gum Disease

As mentioned, non-diseased gums feel firm when touched, fitting snuggly around the teeth. Healthy gums’ color can vary. It might range from light pink for some individuals to brown and dark pink for others. When you have periodontitis, the color of your gums might shift away from these variations, plus you may experience other symptoms. Here are the signs to look out for:

• Puffy or swollen gums
• Spitting blood when flossing or brushing your teeth
• Easy to bleed gums or tender gums
• Pus between your gums and teeth
• Gums that are tender to touch
• Dark purple, dark red, or bright red gums
• A pink-looking toothbrush after you brush your teeth
• Soreness
• Foul breath that will not go away
• Painful chewing
• Unpleasant taste in the mouth
• Tooth loss or loose teeth
• Changes in how your teeth fit together when you bite
• Sensitive teeth
• Gums that recede from teeth, making them look longer than normal. This is known as receding gums.
• New spaces developing between teeth, resembling black triangles

When to Visit a Dental Professional

Follow your dental professional’s suggested schedule for routine checkups. Should you notice any gum disease signs, schedule a dental appointment immediately. The earlier you receive care and treatment, the higher your likelihood of reversing the effects of periodontal disease.

Causes of Gum Disease

Plaque buildup is the number one cause of periodontitis. Plaque contains different forms of bacteria, which can infect your gums. Left untreated, here is how plaque advances with time to become periodontal disease.

• Plaque develops on teeth when sugars and starches in food come in contact with mouth bacteria. Flossing daily and brushing twice daily removes plaque. However, the plaque quickly returns.
• Plaque may harden underneath your gum line into tartar when it stays on the teeth for long. Removing tartar is more challenging. You cannot remove it by flossing or brushing; you need professional teeth cleaning to eliminate it. Since tartar and plaque contain bacteria, the longer they remain on the tooth surface, the more serious damage they will cause.
• Plaque may result in gingivitis, the less serious form of periodontitis. Gingivitis is when the gum tissues surrounding the teeth swell and become irritating. Another term for gum tissues is gingiva. Gingivitis is reversible with appropriate treatment and proper home dental care. However, the treatment must occur early enough before you experience bone loss.
• Continuing gum swelling (inflammation) and irritation can lead to periodontal disease. Ultimately, deep pockets develop between your teeth and gums. Bacteria, tartar, and plaque fill these pockets, and they deepen with time. If left untreated, these deep pockets cause bone and tissue loss. Eventually, you might lose a single or several teeth. Additionally, continued inflammation can strain your body’s immune system, leading to other health issues.

That said, you have a high chance of developing periodontitis if your oral hygiene is poor. For some individuals, genes contribute to periodontitis by changing how their body’s immune system reacts to bacteria.

Risk Factors

Risk factors refer to things that increase your likelihood of developing a condition or disease. Potential risk factors for periodontal disease include the following:

• Gingivitis
• Chewing or smoking tobacco
• Poor oral health care routines
• Obesity
• Hormonal changes, like those associated with menopause, puberty, or pregnancy
• Recreational use of drugs, like vaping or smoking marijuana
• Certain medications that cause gum changes or dry mouth
• Genetics. You are at a higher risk of developing periodontitis if your siblings, parents, or grandparents have it
• Poor nutrition, including a low vitamin C level
• Certain diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, scleroderma, lupus, and diabetes
• Conditions that lower the body’s immunity, like cancer treatment, HIV/AIDS, and leukemia

Is Periodontitis Contagious?

The periodontitis-causing bacteria is passable from one person to another. While you cannot catch periodontitis via short casual contact, long-term and repeated contact via saliva (like kissing) might raise your risk of catching gum disease.

Complications of Periodontitis

Unless you undergo treatment, periodontitis will continue to worsen, causing problems to your dental health. The infection can result in tooth and bone loss.

Studies have also shown that periodontitis directly impacts your general health. The periodontitis-causing bacteria can infiltrate your bloodstream via gum tissue, potentially impacting other body parts. For example, according to studies, there is an established connection between periodontitis and the following conditions:

• Respiratory disease,
• Coronary artery disease,
• Rheumatoid arthritis,
• Low birth weight,
• Stroke,
• Heart disease
• Preterm birth, and
• Difficulty controlling blood sugar for diabetes patients

Diagnosing Gum Disease

A general dentist or dental hygienist can determine whether you have developed periodontitis during a regular examination. They will check whether your teeth have an accumulation of plaque and inquire about your signs and symptoms. They might then refer you to a gum specialist (periodontist) for more assessment and treatment.

To determine whether or not you have gum disease and its severity, the periodontist will do the following:

• Review your medical records to determine whether any factors are connected to your signs and symptoms. Examples are taking certain medications or smoking that lead to dry mouth (xerostomia).
• Examine your oral cavity to check for tartar and plaque accumulation and see whether you experience easy bleeding.
• Determine the depth of the pockets between your teeth and gums. The dental professional will do this by putting a periodontal probe (small ruler) between your gum line and teeth. The dentist measures the pockets at several points in your lower and upper gums. This helps them know the degree of bone loss around the affected teeth.

The deepness of the pockets tells the seriousness of the periodontitis you have. The pockets’ depth is generally between one and three millimeters when the mouth is healthy. Pockets deeper beyond four millimeters might indicate gum disease. Pockets deeper beyond five millimeters cannot undergo proper cleaning with routine oral care. The periodontist will also examine your bite, the looseness of your teeth, and the extent to which your gums are receding.

• Conduct dental X-ray imaging. These images help show in detail the places where bone loss has occurred. They could also examine older X-ray images to check the changes in your bone over time.

Your dental professional might assign a grade and stage to gum disease depending on how serious the infection is, your risk factors, your health, and the intricacy of treatment. The dentist will then customize a treatment plan.

Treating and Managing Gum Disease

Gum disease cannot be cured but is manageable with the right treatment. You cannot cure this disease since once your teeth’s structural support is lost, you do not often restore it in its entirety. However, treatment can manage the condition, lower infection, and restore your tissue and bone to a given extent.

Another reason is genetics. Several different forms of mouth bacteria exist. Some individuals are merely more vulnerable to harboring the type that causes periodontal disease. Gingivitis is the one gum disease stage that is 100% reversible. If you notice gingivitis soon enough, routine teeth cleaning and proper oral hygiene can reverse it.

A periodontist or general dentist may conduct the treatment for periodontal disease. A dental hygienist might work closely with your periodontist or general dentist as part of the treatment plan. The treatment aims to comprehensively clean the dental pockets in the teeth and avert damage to adjacent bone and gum tissue. You have higher chances of undergoing successful treatment if you also:

• Manage the overall health conditions or problems that may affect dental health,
• Maintain a daily habit of proper dental care and
• Stop using tobacco

Several treatments for gum disease exist. The one appropriate for you is based on the seriousness of the disease and several other factors, such as:

• Your health
• Other treatments you have had before
• Whether or not you smoke

Nonsurgical Treatment Options

If gum disease is not advanced, treatment might involve minimally invasive procedures. These include the following:

• Antibiotics. Oral or topical antibiotics can assist in controlling bacterial infections. Topical antibiotics include antibiotic mouthwashes or gels that contain antibiotics. At times, you will need oral antibiotics to eliminate infection-causing bacteria.
• Scaling. This procedure removes bacteria and tartar below your gum line and from tooth surfaces. Scaling might be conducted using an ultrasonic device or a laser. It removes bacteria, tartar, and plaque in places a dental floss and toothbrush cannot reach. Dental professionals recommend scaling for patients with mild periodontitis.
• Root planing. This procedure is conducted to smoothen tooth root surfaces. This prevents further accumulation of bacteria and tartar. It also enables your gums to reattach to your teeth.
• Enhanced oral hygiene and dental cleaning. People with gingivitis may successfully reverse it with enhanced oral hygiene and regular dental cleaning. Because no bone loss has occurred, this conservative measure eliminates harmful mouth bacteria before the infection progresses.

Surgical Treatments

You might need to undergo dental surgery if your gum disease is advanced. Recommended surgical procedures include:

Guided Tissue Regeneration (GTR)

GTR enables the bone that the bacteria destroyed to regrow. In one visit, your periodontist puts a special kind of material between your tooth and existing bone. The material keeps unwanted tissues from growing into the healing area and instead lets bone grow back.

Bone Grafting

A periodontist may perform bone grafting, which entails replacing the bone you have lost because of gum disease. The periodontist may make the grafts from small bits of your bone or artificial material. Alternatively, the bone may be donated. Bone grafting assists in preventing tooth loss as they hold teeth in position. It also acts as a base where natural bone can regrow.

Soft Tissue Graft

Whenever you lose your gum tissues, your gum line lowers, exposing parts of the tooth roots. You might need to reinforce the destroyed tissue. The periodontist usually does this by lifting small tissue amounts from your palate or another donor source and attaching them to the impacted site. This can assist in covering exposed roots, reducing further gum loss, and giving your teeth an attractive appearance.

Pocket Reduction Surgery

Pocket reduction surgery is also called flap surgery or osseous surgery. Patients with moderate to progressed periodontal disease might need this form of treatment. The objective is to extract tartar and plaque so deep underneath the gums your dental hygienist cannot access.

During the pocket reduction surgical procedure, your periodontist will incise your gums and fold the tissue back to expose tooth roots. They will then conduct more effective root planing and scaling. Since gum disease often results in the loss of bone, the periodontist may reshape the underlying bone before they stitch the gum tissues back in position. Once you heal, you easily clean the places surrounding your teeth, maintaining healthy gum tissues.

Often, periodontists combine flap surgery with other regenerative procedures like GTR, bone grafting, or gum grafting.

Tissue-Stimulating Proteins

Another method entails applying a unique gel to an infected tooth root. The gel has the same proteins that a developing enamel contains and encourages the development of healthy tissue and bone.

PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) and PRF (Platelet-Rich Fibrin)

PRF and PRP have growth elements that speed tissue regeneration and healing. Your dental professional can obtain PRP and PRF from a little blood sample. They will spin this sample in a centrifuge to separate plasma from the red blood cells. Once done, they will place the PRP or PRF at the surgical site.

Besides boosting healing, PRF and PRP treatment can shorten recovery periods and minimize post-surgical pain. Since it is extracted from your blood, it is entirely safe.

Preventing Gum Disease

The ideal way of preventing gum disease is properly caring for your teeth and mouth. Begin this routine while still young and maintain it your entire life.

• Routine dental visits. Visit your dental professional routinely for teeth cleaning, usually every six months. If you have risk factors that increase your likelihood of developing gum disease, you want to undergo professional teeth cleaning frequently. Examples include factors like smoking, taking certain medications, or having a dry mouth.
• Proper oral care. That means brushing your teeth at least two times daily for two minutes. Brush when you wake up and before you go to bed. Also, floss a minimum of once daily. Flossing before brushing lets you clean off the bacteria and loosened food debris. Proper dental care habits keep your gums and teeth clean and remove the periodontitis-causing bacteria.

Find a Qualified Periodontist Near Me

Your dental health is a crucial part of your general well-being, and healthy gums are key to maintaining it. Should you experience discomfort, swelling, or bleeding of your gums, do not ignore them, as they are possible signs of gum disease. Instead, you should schedule a dental appointment immediately. By scheduling a dental appointment, you can proactively safeguard your dental health and avoid the possible tooth loss and the pain associated with gum disease.

At The Hawthorne Dentist, our team of dental professionals, including hygienists, general dentists, and periodontists, will work closely with you to personalize a treatment plan to restore your gum health and avert further damage. We are devoted to providing our patients with high-quality care. We pride ourselves on helping them achieve and maintain healthy teeth and gums. Thus, do not wait anymore. Set up an appointment now by calling 310-775-2557 and allow us to assist you in achieving optimal dental health for healthy smiles.