Gum Diseases
Gum Diseases
Gingivitis, or gum inflammation, is a common ailment. Typical symptoms include a bad taste or smell in the mouth, tenderness, redness, and bleeding of the gums while brushing teeth.
Gum bleeding is the first sign of gum disease. Usually, gum bleeding is caused by plaque or tartar. Plaque forms almost daily after eating. If plaque is not removed by brushing teeth and cleaning between teeth, saliva minerals harden it into tartar. The formation of tartar is individual. In some people, tartar forms quickly, which is due to the high mineral content of saliva. Often, tartar gets stained by food, drinks, or tobacco. Tartar and gingivitis are often the cause of bad breath.
Book an appointment
Book an appointment from the appointment calendar or call us:
tel. 010 339 0777
ogadent.info@gmail.com
Why is it important to treat gingivitis (gum inflammation)?
Gingivitis turns into periodontitis (gum disease) when, if left untreated, it progresses to the tooth’s supporting tissues and starts to destroy the tissues that hold the teeth and the supporting jawbone. Initially, gingivitis causes the gums to recede, and as it progresses further, the surrounding jawbone begins to deteriorate. The destruction of the supporting tissues leads to teeth becoming loose and eventually to tooth loss. The destruction of the
supporting tissues is an irreversible change. Gum diseases are chronic, and inflamed gum pockets serve as an open gateway for bacteria into the bloodstream.
Periodontitis is a common disease in adults. Mild periodontitis affects up to one-third, and advanced periodontitis about 10 percent of all adults. According to several medical studies, periodontitis also has a wide-ranging impact on general health. Knowing the risks, orthopedists, cardiologists, oncologists, and doctors in other fields require a dentist’s statement on oral health status before surgical procedures. Thus, there should be no infections in the mouth and teeth. Untreated gum diseases are risk factors in the development of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and Alzheimer’s disease.
How are gum diseases treated?
Treatment of gum diseases requires visits to dental professionals. Depending on the stage of the disease, the treatment is performed by a dental hygienist, dentist, or periodontist. Effective treatment of gum diseases depends on the patient’s motivation and commitment to adhere to the treatment plan combined with maintaining good oral hygiene at home.
A dentist makes the diagnosis of gum disease during an examination and also creates a treatment plan for gum diseases.
Usually, the treatment plan includes tartar removal and teaching home care. If the situation is not complicated and there is no risk to general health, tartar removal is performed by a dental hygienist. The dental hygienist removes tartar with ultrasound and hand instruments. If necessary, teeth can be numbed before treatment.
At Ogadent, we also use a laser, which alleviates the sensation of pain and effectively kills bacteria from even the deepest gum pockets. Stain removal is done with paste or powder cleaning as per the patient’s wishes. During the visit, the dental hygienist guides the patient in treating and/or preventing gum diseases at home. If necessary, the guidance is done in front of a mirror using all the recommended cleaning tools in the patient’s mouth.
In the moderate stage of periodontitis, the dentist performs the tartar removal themselves or refers the patient to a dentist specialized in supporting tissue diseases. The treatment interval specified in the treatment plan is adhered to by sending regular invitations to the patient or by agreeing on the next visit with the patient on-site.