Gum Disease Treatment

Gum disease treatment is the step taken by dentists whenever they suspect or diagnose an infection in the gums. Gum diseases are a common occurrence, with studies showing that nearly half of all adults globally live with some form of gum inflammation. That indicates that a majority of those suffering from these dangerous diseases are not even aware of it. To better understand how to treat gum diseases, you should know the different kinds of infections that can attack your gums.

In this article, we will discuss the various gum diseases, their signs and symptoms, methods of treatment available, and what you should do to avoid the infections. Keep reading the article to understand more about gum diseases and their respective ways of treatment.

If you see blood in your spit when brushing your teeth, then that is a sign you have a gum infection. Dentists say that when you notice blood while brushing your teeth you should seek help immediately. That is because gum disease is progressive, the longer it is left untreated, the worse it gets. Remember that only gum disease at the earlier stages can be reversed. Once the disease has progressed, it cannot be treated and can only be managed.

The beginning stage of gum disease known as gingivitis is the simplest to treat. Gingivitis then develops into periodontitis, in which treatment is depended on the stage of development.

Types of Gum Diseases

The following are the main gum diseases:

Gingivitis - It is the mildest form of gum disease. At this stage, the gums are red, swollen, bleed easily, and are sore. It is the beginning of gum disease, and it is at this stage that the disease is reversible. Gingivitis is normally a lack of proper oral hygiene. If you seek help from a dentist and practice oral hygiene, the gums can be restored to good health.
Periodontitis - It is an advancement of gingivitis. It affects the gum tissue, deteriorates the jawbone, and leads to the loss of teeth. The most obvious signs are chronic bad breath and recession of gums. At this stage, the available options for treatment and reversal of this disease are very few, with only management and containment as the most viable.
Aggressive periodontitis - It is the rapid advancement of periodontitis. At this stage, the gingival tissue and gingival ligaments that hold your teeth in place will deteriorate at a faster pace. The patient’s teeth will start to loosen and it will be difficult to bite or chew on hard foods. There are no gum disease treatment options at this stage and only management of the disease can be done.
Chronic periodontitis - It is the most common form of periodontitis. The gingival tissues and ligaments plus the jawbone deteriorate at a slow pace. Most people will not even realize they have the disease if they don’t get an expert opinion. Gum recession and gingival pockets are the main signs of this type of periodontitis, and a majority of the patients may confuse it with normal aging. Just like aggressive periodontitis, there are no gum disease treatment options available and only disease management can be done.
Systemic periodontitis - It is a gum disease caused by other systemic conditions. The most common diseases to cause systemic periodontitis are diabetes, heart disease, and respiratory disease.
Necrotizing periodontitis. It is a gum disease that affects those suffering from major body conditions like malnutrition, immunosuppression, and HIV AIDS. Necrosis is the death of living tissue, which means that the gingival tissue and ligaments are not affected by the disease but lack the necessary nutrients to keep them healthy.

Common Symptoms of Gum Diseases

According to dentists at the Royal Smile Dental Clinic in Kenya, people can treat, prevent, or control the spread of gum diseases if they know what to look out for. The following are the main signs that show you have gingivitis or are developing periodontitis:

1. Swollen red gums

Healthy gums are pink in colour. If your gums are reddish, then that is the first indication that you have gum disease. The gums may also start to show signs of swelling for no reason at all. When you brush or floss, the gums will feel tender, painful, and will easily start bleeding. Experts warn that this is the onset of gingivitis and these signs should not be ignored.

2. Bad breath

The human mouth is one of the most conducive breeding grounds for bacteria. These bacteria feed on plaque and the more of it you have, the larger the bacteria population. The toxins released by bacteria are what come out as bad breath, but it usually goes away after brushing your teeth. But, if you brush your teeth and still experience bad breath, that shows that there are still bacteria remaining in your mouth, which means that there are more hiding places. Those hiding places are gingival pockets in gum formed to gum disease attack.

3. Gum recession

Receding gums is the other main sign of gum disease. For adults, when your teeth appear longer than before, it is not a sign of growing teeth but shrinking gums. When the bone deterioration begins due to advanced gum disease, the gums separate from the teeth which creates pockets that make the gums shrink.

4. Sensitive teeth

Increased teeth sensitivity is also a sign of gum disease. It mostly happens due to shrinking gums. When your gums recede, they expose the dentin, which is the sensitive part of the teeth. When that happens, external stimuli like cold or air will make you wince out of pain. That should be a sign that you need to see a dentist immediately to try and contain the receding gums.

5. Teeth movement

Experts say that if you start to experience sudden teeth movement or your teeth feel wiggly or shifty, then that can be a sign that they are getting loose. Teeth loosen because of advanced periodontitis which affects the gingival tissues and ligaments that are responsible for holding teeth in place. By the time you start feeling unexplained movement in your teeth, the gum disease is already at an advanced stage and you will start losing the teeth if you don’t seek immediate medical help.

Gum Disease Treatment and Management

Dentists at the Royal Smiles Dental Clinic opine that the treatment of gum diseases can be treated either through non-surgical, surgical, or antibiotic means as explained below:

1. Non-surgical treatment of gum diseases

These are the methods used in the treatment of gum diseases that do not involve surgical procedures. They are:

Professional teeth cleaning. Gum diseases are progressive, which means they have many stages. During the recommended dental visits to the dentist, the tartar and plaque that builds up in the gum linings are professionally removed. Technically, plaque and tartar build-up can be said to be the initial stage of gum diseases since their continued build-up is the root cause of gingivitis, which is the first stage of active gum diseases. Although dentists consider these periodical dental cleaning exercises as preventive measures, they can also be considered as a pre-emptive treatment for future gum diseases.
Scaling and root planing. It is the deep cleaning of teeth that is done under anaesthesia. During this process of gum disease treatment, hardened tartar is scraped from the gum linings (scaling) while rough spots on the surface of teeth are smoothened (planing). Scaling and root planing are done when the dentist determines the hardened tartar cannot be removed during routine teeth cleaning exercises. Just like professional teeth cleaning, scaling and root planing are considered a pre-emptive way of gum disease treatment. That is because although the patient is yet to develop active gum disease, it is only a matter of time before they do.

2. Surgical gum disease treatment

These are surgical methods used in the treatment of gum diseases. They are:

Flap surgery/ pocket reduction surgery. The size of the space (pocket) between the teeth and the gums determines how fast gum diseases progress. That is because these pockets are the hiding places for bacteria that cause the diseases. During this surgical procedure, the loose gums are lifted, and the tartar between the gums and teeth is cleaned. The gums are then placed back in a way that makes the gum tissues stick to the teeth. The idea of this procedure is to reduce the pockets to reduce any further spreading of gum disease.
Bone grafts. They are considered a form of advanced gum disease treatment. Gum diseases cause the deterioration of the gum bones, which means the destroyed bones should be replaced. Bone graft surgeries involve the surgeon using bone fragments to facilitate the regrowth of bones, which increases the stability of the teeth. The used bone fragments will come from the individual, are donated, or are synthetic.
Soft tissue grafts. Gum recession is also caused by gum diseases. To try and reverse this phenomenon, surgeons will take soft tissue from the roof of the mouth and stitch it to the gums to try and add tissue. The added tissue makes the receding gums firm enough to hold teeth in place. Soft tissue grafts try and stop the loss of teeth by preventing further deterioration of the gum bone.
Guided tissue regeneration. It is a procedure done to stimulate bone and gum tissue growth. It is a procedure that is recommended when the bone supporting the teeth is destroyed. A mesh-like fabric is inserted between the bone and gum tissue to prevent the gum tissue from growing in the area the bone is supposed to be, which allows the tissue and bone to regrow hence holding the teeth firmly.
Bone surgery. Gum diseases cause craters in the bone, which are hiding grounds for bacteria. During bone surgery, the craters are smoothed which decreases their depth. Doing this makes the collection and growth of bacteria difficult, reducing further damage to the bone, hence a reduction of the chances of teeth loss.

3. Drug treatment of gum diseases

Some drugs can be used together with surgical methods or alone to reduce or temporarily eliminate the bacteria causing gum diseases. Some drugs can also suppress the destruction of the bone that is attached to the teeth. Antibiotics can also be used to control and reduce plaque and tartar build-up. The kind of drugs to be used to control or manage the treatment of gum diseases can only be prescribed by a dentist. You should also know that not many gum diseases can be managed by antibiotics and that the treatment will always depend on the stage of development of the gum disease.

People Vulnerable to Gum Diseases

Some people are at higher risk of acquiring gum diseases and hence in need of gum disease treatment. These are:

Heavy smokers are at risk of gum diseases since cigarette smoke is a leading cause of plaque and tartar.
People with diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, and HIV and AIDS.
People with poor oral hygiene habits.
People with loose dental fillings and other appliances like dental bridges.
People with a genetic lineage that suffers from gum diseases or early teeth loss.
People who don’t make regular visits to the dentist for check-ups.

Steps to Prevent Gum Diseases

The following are steps you can take to avoid or reduce the chances of acquiring gum diseases according to dentists at the Royal Smiles Dental Clinic in Kenya:

Practising good oral hygiene, which means brushing teeth at least twice a day.
Flossing using medicated mouth wash to remove plaque from the gum line.
Having regular visits to the dentist.
Quitting bad habits like smoking.

FAQs About Gum Disease Treatment

Are gum diseases reversible?

Many people want to know whether gum diseases can be successfully treated. Gum disease treatment will depend on the stage of development of the disease. Gingivitis can be successfully treated, but when the disease advances to periodontitis, it becomes extremely difficult to treat it with many dentists opting to provide management options to the patients.

Can gum diseases come back?

Others wonder if after successful gum treatment the disease can come back. The answer is YES. The continued good health of your gums and teeth depends on the care given. If you neglect proper oral health practices, gum diseases will attack.

Do gum diseases cause loss of teeth?

Some ask if gum disease may result in the loss of teeth. The answer is YES. Proper management or treatment of gum diseases is aimed at avoiding teeth loss. However, if gum diseases are left untreated for a long time, you will eventually lose teeth.

What is the cost of gum disease treatment?

The cost of gum disease treatment is also a major concern for many people. The amount paid for the treatment of gum diseases depends on the severity of the disease. For mild gingivitis, the treatment cost can be as low as Kshs 50,000, but for the more severe periodontitis, the cost can go as high as Kshs 1 Million.

Can gum disease treatment be done at home?

Whether the treatment of gum diseases can be done at home is also a common question among many people. The answer is NO. Once you have active gum disease, it is only a dentist who can perform the proper procedures to ensure its elimination or suppression. Any attempt at treating gum diseases at home will only serve to worsen the situation.

Conclusion

The treatment of gum diseases can be a complicated and lengthy affair that should only be trusted to professionals. The dentists and oral surgeons at the Royal Smiles Dental Clinic in Kenya are the best at what they do.

For all inquiries related to dental matters, you should consider booking an appointment at this clinic and get to experience professionalism in dental care.

To make an appointment with dentists at the Royal Smiles Dental Clinic, click HERE and fill in the form with the required details.