Periodontal
(Gum) Disease
What is it?
Periodontal disease affects the gums and bone
supporting your teeth. It is caused by sticky
plaque and hard deposits of tartar. It usually
happens when the teeth and gums are not kept clean
enough. If you have very bad gum disease, you
may have inherited it or you may have a problem
with your general health which needs to be investigated.
Thorough brushing can remove
sticky plaque. Scaling and polishing can
remove hard tartar. Without regular cleaning,
the gum will come away from the tooth, making
pockets around the teeth where food and
plaque can |
|
collect. Pockets are more
difficult to keep clean sogum disease will
usually get worse if nothing is done. |
Gum disease has two stages.
- It starts with inflammation – redness
and swelling. Dentists call this gingivitis.
It can be cured with good oral hygiene.
- The next stage in called chronic periodontitis.
Some of the bone that supports the teeth is
lost and the teeth become loose until they eventually
have to be taken out. Periodontitis cannot be
reversed once it starts but it doesn’t
have to get worse if you clean your teeth properly
and have regular root planning from your dentist
or hygienist.
Who gets gum disease?
Gum disease can start when you are a child. Chronic
periodontitis is normally only a problem for adults.
You might be worried about bad breath or your
teeth looking longer as the gum covers less of
them.
Some people are likely to have periodontal disease
than others:
- Crooked teeth are more difficult to keep clean
so you might have gum disease in just one part
of the mouth.
- People have different bacteria in their mouths.
This may explain why gum disease can get worse
very quickly for some people but not for others.
- Smoking and drinking a lot of alcohol can
make gum disease worse. Both are also linked
with mouth cancer.
- Drugs and medicine can affect your gums so
your dentist will ask you about your general
health.
- Diabetes and some other diseases can reduce
how resistant gums and bones are to damage.
- Hormonal changes also affect gum health.
It could make a difference if you are pregnant
or using an oral contraceptive.
Why should I try to avoid
periodontal problems?
- However healthy and strong your teeth are,
they need to be supported by healthy gums and
bone. Periodontal disease can lead to you losing
teeth and all the difficulties that this can
cause for eating and speaking.
- Scientists are now discovering that periodontal
disease is linked to coronary heart disease
and stroke, especially for people who are already
at risk in other ways (through poor diet, smoking
or high blood pressure).
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