Periodontitis is a serious gum disease that can occur when a patient suffering from gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) fails to recover and instead gets worse and advances because of repeated improper oral care. Periodontitis happens when the toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque irritate the gums causing them to become swollen and sore. The side effects of Periodontitis range from loose teeth and teeth fallout to heart and respiratory diseases.
How Can You Treat Periodontitis?
When talking about prevention, proper oral hygiene is always a good way to avoid gum disease. However, when it comes to actual gum disease treatment, a visit to the doctor is a must. To cure Periodontitis, the dentist will perform a professional cleaning–including scaling and root planing to eliminate plaque and control the buildup. Periodontitis that have become so advanced will require dental surgery, such as:
- Flap surgery is when tiny incisions in your gum are made so that a section of gum tissue can be lifted back.
- Soft tissue grafts are when damaged soft tissue is reinforced by removing a small amount of tissue from your palate and attaching it to the affected site
- Bone grafting is when a graft composed of small fragments of your own bone (or synthetic or donated bone) is made and is transplanted to your jawbone to prevent tooth loss by holding your tooth in place.
- Guided tissue regeneration is when the dentist places a special piece of biocompatible fabric between existing bone and your tooth to allow the regrowth of bone that was destroyed by bacteria.
- Tissue-stimulating proteins are done by applying a special gel that contains the same proteins found in developing tooth enamel to a damaged tooth root.
