In its early stage, called gingivitis, the gums can become swollen and red, and they may bleed. In its more serious form, called periodontitis, the gums can pull away from the tooth, bone can be lost, and the teeth may loosen or even fall out. Periodontal disease is mostly seen in adults.
Periodontitis (per-e-o-don-TIE-tis), also called gum disease, is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue around teeth. Without treatment, periodontitis can destroy the bone that supports your teeth. This can cause teeth to loosen or lead to tooth loss. Periodontitis is common but can usually be prevented.
But the condition may get even worse if left untreated. They may experience receding gums, loosening teeth, or tooth loss when it progresses into severe periodontal disease. If you wonder if you can live with this disease, the answer is yes.
As the loss of bone and gum tissue increases, teeth will begin to feel loose, and eventually result in tooth loss. It is important to treat periodontal disease, even if your symptoms are mild. Researchers have found links between gum disease and serious health problems.
People who have very early periodontal disease (gingivitis) may be able to reverse the condition with routine dental cleaning and improved oral hygiene. Because there's no bone loss yet, this conservative approach gets rid of harmful oral bacteria before the disease has a chance to progress.
With gum disease, you won't keep your teeth for long. In fact, unlike tooth decay which impacts your smile one tooth at a time, periodontitis can cause you to lose multiple, if not all, teeth at once. Gum disease starts small as a mild form called gingivitis.
Good prognosis: The prognosis is considered to be good when there is adequate amount of remaining bone support along with the periodontium, and the patient as well as the clinician has adequate possibilities to control etiologic factors and establish a maintainable dentition.
How big of a role does age play in periodontal disease? It's true; periodontitis is more common in older people, affecting 70% of adults aged 65 and above. It's also because of this that toothlessness is more prevalent in seniors.
47.2% of adults aged 30 years and older have some form of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease increases with age, 70.1% of adults 65 years and older have periodontal disease.
Incidents of periodontal disease (gum disease) do increase with age, but gum disease can start at any time. Most people do not begin to show signs, however, until they are in their 30s or 40s. It is also more common for certain demographics: Men (56.4%) vs.
The key to managing and living with periodontal disease is to ensure your teeth are kept clean and reduce gum irritation. Besides an increase in cleanings, there are also specialized cleaning methods used, depending on the extent of damage.
It is a therapy that is sometimes only needed once in a lifetime or every few years depending on your initial level of infection and various risk factors. The periodontal maintenance cleaning is part of the soft tissue management program prescribed 3-4 times a year after scaling & root planing is completed.
Gum disease is an infection of the gum tissue; it isn't an infection of the teeth. Therefore, it is important to understand that removing your teeth will not actually treat or cure your gum disease.
The progression of periodontal disease is slow but steady. It only takes four days for plaque to reach its maximum extent, so you'll be able to physically see signs of gingivitis on day 5. Advanced stages of this disease can be seen in as little as a few weeks if you have not tried to reverse the gingivitis.
Periodontitis Stage 1: Initial. Periodontitis Stage 2: Moderate. Periodontitis Stage 3: Severe with potential for tooth loss. Periodontitis Stage 4: Severe with potential for loss of all the teeth.
The onset of periodontal disease can often begin long before a person reaches retirement age. In the earlier stages, many patients in their 20s may not experience symptoms, which can lead to putting off treatment for gum disease, as well as complications in other areas, such as pregnancy.
Living with periodontal disease is a challenge because it causes aesthetic complications and severe bone loss in the mouth. Unlike other infections, periodontal diseases silently affect you, causing your gums to become inflamed and bleed. Periodontal disease is not a life-threatening condition.
Typically, you will need to get periodontal cleanings every 3 months for the rest of your life to keep your gum disease under control, and as long as you get routine cleanings and maintain good oral hygiene, your condition won't get worse. However, you will never be fully healed.
Almost half, 47.2%, of all adults aged 30 years and older have some form of gum disease. Gum disease increases with age. 70.1% of adults 65 years and older have periodontal disease.
Fortunately, most people considering implants will still qualify for the procedure even if they have periodontal disease, as long as that disease is being treated successfully. However, it may be necessary to delay the dental implant placement until the periodontal disease is under control.
Once your periodontal treatment has been completed, your dentist and dental hygienist will recommend that you have regular maintenance cleanings (periodontal cleanings), usually four times a year.
The Journal of Dental Health recommends periodontitis patients revisit their periodontist for periodontal maintenance every three months. This three-month time frame has been proven effective in keeping the progression of periodontal disease at bay.
Gum surgery is necessary for some patients whose gum disease has become severe. After conducting an examination, a dentist generally makes a surgical recommendation. Frequently, surgery is the only option to restore gums that have receded and pulled from the tooth structures.
If a patient has gingivitis this can be reversed with a gum health regimen, but a periodontitis patient remains a periodontitis patient for life, even following successful therapy, and requires life-long supportive care to prevent recurrence of disease.
If you end up with periodontal disease, it's not the end of the world or the end of your oral health. It just means you may need to take some time to care for your mouth and get it healthy again. Now, go floss. To learn more about periodontal and gum disease, visit our page The Complete Guide to Periodontal Disease.