GUM DISEASE
A major cause of tooth loss that
causes growing concern among oral health
planners
General
Do you think gum disease is something
that only happens only to oldies? Think again! Teens, too, can get
gum disease. And it can cause embarrassing
problems like the simple bad breath to the serious one like pain and tooth loss
– both embarrassing and serious !
What is Gum Disease ?
Gum disease is an infection of the tissues and bones that surround and
support the teeth. Gum Disease is a major cause of tooth loss. It can range
from simple gum inflammation to serious disease that may result in damage to
the bone. It is also called periodontal disease in its serious form.
There are two states of gum disease: The first state is called gingivitis
and the second, a more serious form is
known as periodontitis. Gingivitis is mild gum disease that affects only the
gums, the tissue that surrounds the teeth.
In gingivitis, the gums become red and swollen. Untreated gingivitis can
lead to periodontitis, in which the gums pull
away from the teeth and form pockets of infection. If not properly
treated, it results in tooth loss due
to destruction of the tissue that
surrounds your teeth.
Periodontitis, on the other hand, is gum disease that gets worse and spreads below the gums to
damage the tissues and bone that support the teeth. If ignored, the bones, gums and connective tissue supporting the
teeth are destroyed. It is the advanced
and a very severe form of gingivitis.
Gingivitis causes red, swollen gums that bleed
easily when the teeth are brushed. Because gingivitis usually doesn’t
cause paid, many people
don’t get the treatment they need. It causes bad breath, or a bad
taste in your mouth. Good teeth-brushing
and flossing can reverse the
affects of gingivitis. Gingivitis also generally called gum disease or periodontal disease, describes the
events that begin with bacterial growth
in your mouth and may end – if not properly treated – with tooth loss
due to destruction of the tissue that surrounds your teeth.
Periodontitis develops if gum disease
gets worse. Periodontitis occurs when bacterial toxins and enzymes
destroy the connective tissue and the
bone supporting the teeth. The gums pull
away or shrink back from the teeth, leaving deep pockets where bacteria can grow
and damage the bone that supports the teeth. When the gums draw back or
get withdrawn the roots of the teeth get exposed. This can make the teeth look longer. Teeth may become loose, fall
out, or have to be pulled out by a dentist.
The teeth may become very sensitive
to temperature changes, or new cavities
can develop. Plaque is a sticky film of bacterial that sticks to the
surface of teeth and gums. Brushing and flossing every day may
not completely remove all the plaque, especially around the gum line. The
bacteria in the plaque produce toxins that may injure the gums and the
supporting tissues.
What causes Gum Disease ?
Your mouth constantly makes a clear, sticky substance called plaque that
contains bacteria. This film of bacteria
sticks to the surface of teeth and gums. Brushing and flossing every day
may not completely remove all the plaque,
especially around the gum line. Plaque
and he acids it produces irritate the gums, causing them to become red
and swollen. The bacteria in the plaque produce toxins that may injure the
gums and the supporting tissues causing
the gum tissues to break down. If you don’t
do a good job of removing plaque from your teeth, it can spread below
the gums and damage the bone that
supports the teeth.
Plaque that is not completely removed within 48 hours hardens into a
rough deposit called tartar or calculus.
Once tartar develops, the only way to remove
it is by having the teeth professionally
cleaned. Tartar below the
gum line causes inflammation and
infection. Because this process is often painless, a person may be unaware a
problem exists.
You are more likely to get Gum
Disease if you:
·
Do not clear your teeth well.
·
Smoke or chew tobacco.
·
Have someone in your family who has gum disease.
·
Have a condition that makes it harder for your body to fight infection, such as (a)
uncontrolled diabetes, AIDS, or leukemia; (b) a high level of stress and more susceptible
to infection, and (c) too little sleep and a poor diet that’s low in nutrients leaves you
more vulnerable to infection.
·
Steroids, cancer medicines, and blood pressure
medicines can all affect the gums. Some drugs
decrease the flow of saliva, irritating the mouth and making it prone to
infection.
What are the Symptoms ?
It may be hard to tell if you have a mild case of gum disease. Healthy gums are pink and
firm, fit snugly around the teeth, and do not bleed easily. But mild cases of
gum disease (gingivitis) cause:
·
Gums that are red, swollen, and tender.
·
Gums that bleed easily during brushing or flossing.
·
Breath begins
to take on a foul odour.
·
As gum disease gets worse (periodontitis), the
symptoms are easier to see, such as :
·
Gums that pull away or shrink from the teeth.
·
Bad breath that won’t go away.
·
Pus coming from the gums.
·
A change in how your teeth fit together when you
bite.
·
Loose teeth.
Who is at Risk ?
Certain things can make teens more likely to develop gum disease. Some
may inherit this tendency from their
parents. The snacks you eat also can put you
at risk of developing gum disease-especially if you ear fried chips and
have water to drink in the mall or in a cinema hall and aren’t able to brush
immediately after eating them. You probably know that sugar is bad for your
teeth, but you may not know that starchy
foods like fries also feed the acids
that eat into your tooth enamel.
If you have braces, fending off plaque can be tougher.
Girls have a higher risk of gum
disease than guys. Increases in female
sex hormones during puberty can make girls’ gums more sensitive to irritation.
Some girls may notice that their gums
bleed a bit in the days before their periods.
For severe – and early – gum problems, though, the real bad guy is
tobacco. Not only does smoking lead to
bad breath and stained, yellowed teeth
but recent research also shows that smoking is a leading cause of gum
disease.
How is Gum Disease Diagnosed ?
To find out if you have gum disease, your dentist will do an exam to look
for:
·
Bleeding gums.
·
Hard buildups of plaque and tartar above and
below the gums.
·
Areas where your gums are pulling away or shrinking from your
teeth.
·
Pockets that have grown between your teeth and
gums.
Your dentist or dental hygienist may
take X-rays of your teeth to look
for bone damage and other problems.
How is it Treated ?
If you have a mild case of gum
disease, you will probably be able to
take care of it by brushing and flossing
your teeth every day and getting regular
cleanings at your dentist’s office. If your
gum disease has become worse and you have periodontitis, your dentist or
dental hygienist will clean your teeth using a method called root planning and
scaling. This removes the plaque and
tartar buildup both above and below the
gum line. You may also need to take antibiotics to help get rid of the
infection in your mouth. If your gum disease is severe, you may need to have surgery.
How can you Prevent Gum Disease ?
While gum disease is most common in adults, it can affect anyone, even children. So good dental habits are
important throughout your life:
·
Brush your teeth 2 times a day, in the morning
and before bedtime, with fluoride toothpaste.
·
Floss your teeth once each day.
·
Visit your dentist for regular checkups and
teeth cleaning.
·
Don’t use tobacco products.
If you think you have a mild case of gum disease, made sure to take care of it before it gets
worse. Keeping your teeth and gums healthy
and getting regular checkups from your
dentist can keep the disease from
getting worse. Having gum disease may
increase a pregnant woman’s risk of having a premature, low-birth-weight baby.
Also, studies have found a direct link between heart disease and the bacteria that cause gum
disease. So taking good care of your
teeth and gums may have benefits beyond
keeping your mouth healthy.
Treatment
Gum disease can be sneaky, sometimes
causing little or no pain or irritation before permanent damage is done
to your teeth. That’s the reason
why regular dental visits are advised.
With X-rays and a thorough examination, a dentist or dental hygienist can spot trouble
before you know it’s there. The earlier
that gum disease is caught, the
better. Adopting better brushing and flossing habits can usually reverse
gingivitis. Sometimes your dentist will also prescribe antibiotics or a
special antibacterial mouth rinse to tackle the problem.
Once someone develops
periodontitis, it isn’t as easy to control
as in gingivitis. Usually there is widespread infection of the gums that needs to be treated. This
may require several special treatments
either by a dentist or a periodontist,
an expert who specializes in the
care of gum disease. Some of the ways
dentists and periodontists may treat periodontitis are:
Scaling or Root Planning:
These deep-cleaning measures involve
scrapping and removing plaque and
tartar from teeth above and below the
gum line. By reducing plaque, bacteria
can be kept to a level manageable
by the human immune system.
Antibiotics : These and other
medications are often used together with
scaling and root planning to stop the spread of infection and inflammation in
the mouth. They come in several different
forms that range from medicated mouthwashes to
antibiotic-containing gels or fibers that are placed in gum pockets to
slowly kill bacteria and help gums to heal.
Surgery: Advanced cases of
periodontitis may require a dentist to
open and clean badly diseased gum pockets,
then stitch the gums back into place to
fit more snugly around the teeth.
Gingival Grafting: If gum tissue is too diseased to sew back together, a dentist removes
healthy gum tissue from another part of
the mouth and stitches it into place.
The graft replaces the diseased
tissue and helps to anchor the teeth,
giving them an improved appearance.
While undergoing treating for
periodontitis, it’s especially important to take special care of your teeth and
gums to see lasting improvement. This includes flossing and brushing
every day and quitting habits that mean bad news for the mouth, such as smoking or eating sugary snacks between meals.
Source : IDA – Oral - July 2012
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