Periodontal Treatment Relieves The Anxiety of Gum Disease
Gum diseases are known to cause distress which can lead to further oral and general health deterioration. They cause inflammation, orofacial pain, bad breath, and bleeding all of which can make you very uncomfortable. They also make normal day to day tasks such as brushing teeth, chewing and drinking hard to do. In case you are feeling extreme anxiety as gum disease affects your life, you might want to consider periodontal treatment.
Understanding Periodontal Diseases
Periodontal infections are infections that affect the structures around your teeth including the alveolar bone, periodontal ligament and gums. Gingivitis is usually the first step and if left untreated, you may end up experiencing tooth loss or undergoing surgery to remove damaged parts of your gum line. It is primarily caused by bacterial plaque, a sticky membrane that hardens over time to form calculus or tartar. which entraps bacteria that damage the gums and surrounding teeth pockets. Painful chewing, bleeding gums, gum recession, loose teeth, bad breath, and sudden tooth sensitivity may be signs you have periodontal disease. If you are experiencing the above mentioned symptoms, you may want to seek the help of a dental team experienced in periodontal treatments.
Treatment of Periodontal Disease
Getting treatment for periodontal diseases can help relieve anxiety brought about by the disease as well as prevent further damage and restore oral health. There are various types or rather stages of treatment. The type of treatment you get depends on how severe your periodontal infection is.
The very first stage of periodontal treatment is the etiological phase. It is mostly done for minor cases and is aimed at restoring needed microbiota and controlling the infection. The dentist tries to identify the root problem causing the disease. He or she will also conduct scaling and root planing procedures whereby tartar will be scraped off the gum line and rough spots on your teeth removed. This deep cleaning procedure gets rid of bacteria. Although you may experience bleeding, you should be back to eating and drinking normally on the same day. You will be expected to maintain proper oral hygiene and quit smoking. You will also be put on medication.
The second treatment phase is surgical treatment. This phase only applies to those with advanced periodontitis or when the etiological phase of treatment bears no fruit. It is conducted anywhere between 4 to 8 weeks after the first round of treatment. Treatment includes leveling shallow and deep bone defects and regenerative surgical techniques such as bone and tissue grafting. The goal here is to get rid of space pockets between teeth so as to minimize chances of bacteria festering.
If the damage was extensive, the dentist may have to extract affected teeth, tissue or bones and replace them with prosthetics or implants.You may experience swelling for 1 or 2 days but most patients say there is no pain post surgery. You will however need to stick to soft foods and liquids for about two weeks but you can go back to work even a day after the surgery.
The last treatment stage is the maintenance phase which involves minimizing the recurrence rate by observing proper oral hygiene, staying off tobacco products and going for dental checkups every 3 months. When cleaning your mouth, ensure you cover hard to reach areas and use mouthwash to get rid of any bacteria you may have missed.