Causes Of Periodontitis And How To Avoid It

Causes Of Periodontitis And How To Avoid It

Sep 01, 2021

Sudden dental disease can be disturbing and scary. However, these diseases are caused by some of our lifestyle activities or underlying health issues which the patient might know nothing about. Knowing the cause of dental disease and how to prevent it from happening is a way of keeping yourself safe from becoming a victim of such dental diseases. In this article, we’ll be highlighting the causes of periodontitis and ways it could be avoided.

Periodontitis or periodontal disease is a severe gum disease that is caused by plaques and decay that have been built up in the gums and teeth holes. If periodontal disease is left untreated, it can extend to the bones that keep the teeth in their right position. This can lead to teeth loss. Nevertheless, if periodontal disease is early detected and treated, the patient’s teeth can be saved from falling off.

What most people don’t know about periodontal or gum disease is that it is mostly caused by poor oral hygiene. The gums are easily exposed to germs and infections. Through dental cleaning can prevent that from happening.

There are signs you should look out for. These signs could indicate that you have gum disease.

People who have periodontal disease have light red or purplish gums. The proper gum color is pale pink and fits the teeth tightly. Also, they have swollen gums. Furthermore, if you constantly notice bleeding gums or spitting out blood when you are not even brushing hard, you might be suffering from periodontal diseases. However, bleeding gums might also mean that there is an underlying disease that the person doesn’t know about yet and its signs are starting to show from the dental region. Bad breath, painful bites, weak or loose teeth, receding gums, gum tenderness, and persistent canker sores and chewing problems can also be caused by periodontal disease

Causes Of Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease can be caused by different reasons. We might not notice the things we do that could put us at a higher risk of getting affected by gum diseases.

The accumulation of plaques in the teeth that are caused by food particles and sugary foods can cause gum infections if you don’t brush your teeth properly at least twice daily. Also, it is advantageous to floss your teeth and take out the food particles that the brush couldn’t take out completely.

Furthermore, an irritated gum (gingivitis) that deteriorates and swells between your gum and teeth can accommodate plaques and infections. If left untreated, these infections can penetrate deep into the bones and cause teeth loss.

Also, some risk factors could make a person suffer from periodontal disease. Gingivitis, bad dental habits, pregnancy or menopause, obesity, unbalanced diet, genetics, diabetes, the bad immune system caused by HIV/AIDs or cancer, and smoking tobacco or cigarette can put you at high risk of getting affected by periodontal disease.

Periodontal Disease Stages

Periodontal disease is of different stages. They are:

The Inflammation (Gingivitis) Stage

Periodontal disease usually starts with an irritation in the gums which is also called gingivitis. This is the mild stage and it is often associated with bleeding gums whenever you’re flossing or brushing your teeth. This can also be accompanied by teeth discoloration caused by plaques that have accumulated inside the teeth.

Early Periodontal Disease Stage

This stage occurs when the gum begins to react to infections around and then recedes or gradually becomes weak. When small boils with infections and germs begin to appear in the space between the gums and teeth, your body’s immune system tries to resist and fight back. When this happens your gums begin to protrude and slowly detach from the teeth thereby making your teeth loosed. This can lead to bone death in the teeth area and eventually, teeth loss.

Moderate Periodontal Disease Stage

At this stage, if periodontal disease isn’t attended to, the patient’s teeth would start falling off due to the inadequate support it is getting from the bones around it. Also, it can cause other problems in the body.

Advanced Periodontal Disease Stage

When the gum disease deteriorates, the nerves around the teeth become dead. Also, the bones and other nerves that support the teeth will finally become damaged. This is the last and critical stage. At this point, teeth loss is extremely possible. The effects cause pains, bad breath, bad taste, and chewing difficulties.

Periodontal Disease Treatment And Preventions

The main treatment given by the dentist is thorough dental cleaning where the plaques are removed and the teeth and gums are cleaned and disinfected. Also, there are medications like antibiotics that are given to patients in form of liquid like mouthwash or pills.

Surgeries can also be performed on patients with periodontal disease. The dentist would clean inside the tooth’ roots and gums. In cases where the bones are already weak, a procedure known as bone grafting is performed to revive the bones.  Anesthesia would be administered to the patients to prevent them from feeling pains and discomfort.

The best way to prevent periodontal disease is good dental hygiene and regular visit to the dentist’s office for dental exams and dental cleanings. Also, avoid unhealthy foods that are not good for your teeth and gums.

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