Periodontal disease affects around 19% of the world’s population, despite being entirely preventable in most cases. Periodontitis is a serious dental infection that occurs in the gums and is responsible for softening the tissue surrounding your gums which ultimately leads to tooth loss. Fortunately, you can prevent getting periodontal disease, or treat it to stop it from progressing any further by giving your dentist Chelsea a visit and undergoing their expert care and treatment.
What are the stages of periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease can be categorised into three separate stages:
Gingivitis – Gingivitis is known as the first stage of periodontitis and is mainly characterised by inflammation of the gums. The earliest and most common sign of gingivitis is bleeding gums when you brush or floss your teeth. Another sign of gingivitis includes the discolouration of your teeth caused by a formation and build-up of plaque. This is due to inadequate maintenance of oral hygiene and allowing food particles and debris to slowly build up on the surfaces of your teeth. Additionally, avoiding visits to your dentist Chelsea means your teeth cannot get cleaned thoroughly to ensure any plaque has been fully removed. As gingivitis progresses, you will notice that your gums will begin to recede which will cause small pockets to form between your gums and teeth; this makes way for harmful bacteria to multiply and worsen thus causing infection and can potentially cause some bone loss to occur.
Moderate periodontal disease – when gingivitis is left to progress, regular bleeding and pain may occur around the teeth and gum recession. You may also notice your teeth becoming slightly loose due to a loss in bone support as prolonged exposure to the infection will continue to affect the bone that supports your teeth, by eroding it.
Advanced periodontal disease – When periodontitis reaches its most advanced stage, the connective tissue responsible for holding your teeth in place begins to deteriorate and your gums and bones are destroyed. If your bones become completely destroyed, they can no longer support your teeth, causing them to fall out or needing to be extracted by your dentist Chelsea. This can cause you to experience many issues such as difficulties and pain when chewing, the inability to bite hard foods, severely bad breath (halitosis) and in the final stages, loss of teeth.
What causes periodontal disease?
The main cause of periodontitis is poor oral hygiene; your mouth is known to carry multiple forms of bacteria and when your teeth are not cleaned thoroughly, the bacteria begin to multiply and build up on the surface of your teeth forming a sticky substance known as plaque. If not treated by a dental professional, plaque hardens over time and develops into tartar. Another common cause of periodontitis is smoking; it is also important to note that smoking may interfere with how your body responds to treatment for periodontitis, which can potentially affect whether you are suitable for dental treatments, however studies have found that quitting smoking helps reduce the risk of developing periodontitis significantly. Autoimmune diseases such as HIV and AIDS can also increase your risk of developing periodontitis as they destroy your immune system and make it unable to fight or destroy any infections that occur in the mouth. Other risk factors for periodontitis include poor diet, obesity, certain medications that inhibit the flow of saliva and hormonal changes in women during pregnancy.
What are the signs and symptoms of periodontal disease?
Periodontitis can be detected in its early stages, so it is best to always keep a lookout for any signs or symptoms so that they may be tackled straight away by a dental professional. The most common signs we at Chelsea and Fulham Dentist recommend for you to look out for include:
- Bleeding gums when brushing or flossing
- Loose teeth
- Changes in the positioning of your teeth
- Red and swollen gums
- A build-up of plaque or tartar on the surfaces of your teeth
- Pain when chewing or biting food
- Bad breath
- Receding gums
Periodontitis is entirely preventable if you are vigilant in maintaining good oral hygiene and a well-balanced diet, however your dentist will be able to detect periodontitis in its earliest stages at a routine dental appointment. Therefore, it is important you have regular visits to the dentists so that any of these signs can be detected and treated professionally so as to prevent the disease from progressing. It Is also important to try and stop unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking and drinking excessive alcohol so as to not limit yourself when it comes to treatment of the disease.
