PERIODONTITIS: THE CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, AND MOST EFFECTIVE THERAPIES
The Topic Of This Post
- At the origin of periodontitis: the causes
- The genetic basis of periodontitis …
- … And the causes induced by insufficient oral hygiene
- Attention to symptoms is the first form of treatment
- Periodontitis: which therapeutic path?
- Active prevention, day after day
All of us have been to the dentist at least once in our lives, even if only to treat a cavity or to carry out the usual cleaning of the teeth. Certainly, our trusted dentist explained to us the importance of correct daily hygiene from childhood, to prevent the most common pathologies that can afflict the oral cavity; however, there are some infections that more than others can be averted through scrupulous hygiene habits and more frequent professional checks. Among these we find periodontitis. Also commonly known by the term pyorrhea, periodontitis is a bacterial infection that damages periodontal tissues (literally, those “around the tooth”) and which can have acute phases and important consequences. However, there are numerous methods of prevention and treatment: so let’s try to analyze them, starting from the genesis of this pathology.
AT THE ORIGIN OF PERIODONTITIS: THE CAUSES
Whether we are already so-called “periodontal” patients or if we just want to investigate a suspicious symptom, we probably already know that the health of our teeth depends on that the structural elements that support them. More precisely, at the base of our smile, we find layers of:
- bone tissue
- epithelial tissue
- connective tissue
These three components respectively form the bone, the gums, and the ligaments that make up the periodontium, which is the structure directly affected by this pathology of bacterial origin.
There is a space, the one between the gums and the teeth, which dentists call ” biological width ” and which, under normal conditions, measures about 3 millimeters. When this space elongates, increasing its size, it offers the possibility for various bacteria to infiltrate what is called the periodontal pocket.
We can therefore already guess how the presence of microorganisms is directly proportional to the width of the periodontal pocket, but what happens to the bacteria when they stagnate inside these spaces?
In the absence of oxygen, the bacteria are forced to search for it in the bases to which they are anchored: it is for this reason that the microorganisms begin to corrode the structures of the periodontium, in particular the bone, thus favoring a deterioration process that progressively weakens the support. of our teeth.
THE GENETIC BASIS OF PERIODONTITIS …
When we are diagnosed with a connective tissue disease, we are often led to ask our doctor if it could be of genetic origin. The observation of periodontal patients has certainly revealed a hereditary component in the development of infectious diseases of the oral cavity: in other words, if one of our close relatives suffers from periodontitis, there is a greater probability for us to develop it in turn. However, it is important to underline that the genetic makeup affects only in terms of a predisposition: in fact, periodontitis is a bacterial infection, and as such its origin is not exclusively hereditary, but mainly caused by the corrosive action of plaque and tartar.
… AND THE CAUSES INDUCED BY INSUFFICIENT ORAL HYGIENE
If we often forget to floss, we won’t necessarily develop gingivitis or periodontitis; however, it has been highlighted as the origin of the infections of the oral cable and is almost always bacterial, and in many cases preventable through:
- a proper oral hygiene daily
- the annual recourse to a general dental examination
- aperiodic evaluation of the overall health of teeth and gums
- a professional cleaning every six months
ATTENTION TO SYMPTOMS IS THE FIRST FORM OF TREATMENT
Perhaps we know about periodontitis through a friend or family member, or we have come across awareness campaigns on the subject at our trusted clinic. In any case, we will have noticed that the attention is almost always placed on the symptomatology which, in the case of this disease, is as peculiar as it is difficult to evaluate by the subject who suffers from it.
In other words, most patients underestimate the symptoms of periodontitis, at least initially. Moreover, he often mistakenly attributes them to other pathologies (such as canker sores, stomatitis, or caries) and therefore tends to treat them improperly, perhaps finding temporary relief and therefore postponing the visit to the dentist.
Fortunately, today we know which are the symptoms to pay particular attention to, because they are characteristic of the bacterial infection of the periodontium. Let’s try to give an overview, starting from the mildest and gradually proceeding towards the most disabling:
- bad breath
- sour taste in the mouth
- gingival sag
- dental mobility
- redness of the gums
- inflammation of the mucous membranes
- gum bleeding
Of course, these symptoms are not unique to chronic periodontitis; however, they could indicate the presence of early-stage gingivitis or a preview of a bacterial infection. They must therefore be evaluated immediately by a professional, to avoid taking the first measures in the acute phase of the disease.
PERIODONTITIS: WHICH THERAPEUTIC PATH?
The clinical solutions most in line with our case are suggested to us by the dentist, generally at the very moment in which the diagnosis of periodontitis is made. The treatment involves a combination of drug therapy and surgical interventions; although the choices are peculiar to individual cases, we try to isolate some frequent stages in the therapeutic path of periodontal patients:
- l ‘ oral hygiene takes every quarter
- the degree of mobility of the teeth is established on a scale of 1 to 5
- the width of the periodontal pockets is measured regularly
- the use of anti-inflammatories is prescribed in the most acute phases
As for the surgical aspect, it is important to underline that the operative methods are numerous and often integrable with each other and that the duration and cost of the interventions are directly proportional to the stage of the disease. For treatment, the patient can undergo:
- periodontal probe
- radiography
- tooth root smoothing
- curettage (scraping) gum
- laser
- bone grafts
These are practices performed frequently in dental offices, which only in some cases also include a short hospitalization.
ACTIVE PREVENTION, DAY AFTER DAY
A considerable investment of resources is therefore generally required from the periodontal patient, in the face of even very significant improvements. In addition to planning the treatment process together with your dentist, a diagnosis of periodontitis implies an overall review of one’s routine, to maintain the new oral hygiene conditions and thus prevent a possible new attack of bacteria.
Above all, it is important to keep in constant contact with your trusted dental office, to accurately assess the typical symptoms of bacterial inflammation from periodontitis.
In short, taking care of your teeth is a real commitment. However, even when our resolutions are at their best, we are limited by haste, appointment times, and the often prohibitive costs of accessing state-of-the-art dental care.
Precisely for these reasons, many patients choose to take out a policy that covers the dentist’s expenses, even for their families, and which perhaps also facilitates the booking and management of oral health deadlines.
Among the Medicare insurance plans that can be subscribed to is structured as a real dedicated emergency intervention: at a cost of 50 cents a day it offers oral hygiene always free for one year and discounts up to 41% in one of the 5,000 affiliated dental practices. And what if yours were among these studies?