Periodontitis: treatment and prevention

It turns out that periodontitis is a very common disease. According to statistics, it occurs in almost every second person. This is not surprising, because the cause of the problem can be both poor hygiene and poor-quality fillings, as well as genetic predisposition, unhealthy diet, vitamin deficiency, metabolic disorders and even banal stress. Periodontitis has three stages.

At the initial stage, periodontitis is mild and is called gingivitis. Its signs are: bleeding, itching and swelling of the gums, the appearance of soft dental plaque. At this stage, it is enough to do a professional cleaning of dental plaque and carry out anti-inflammatory therapy of the gums.

Typically, dental cleaning is done using ultrasound. A special composition containing soda and citric acid is fed into the oral cavity, which thoroughly cleanses the teeth, freeing them from hard plaque. This procedure is done once a year.

If gingivitis is left untreated, periodontitis will soon develop. The so-called pockets (a gap between the neck of the tooth and the gum) will appear in the gums around the teeth, where plaque will accumulate, which will eventually form a tartar.

What is tartar: plaque begins to form within 1-2 hours after brushing your teeth. Microorganisms form a solid carbohydrate framework that is firmly attached to the tooth surface. Bacteria multiply, the stone grows and sinks lower and lower into the gingival groove, gradually thickening and acquiring a yellowish color. As a result, this leads to gum disease. A toothbrush is powerless against a stone. The situation is aggravated by halitosis, swelling, bleeding and pain in the gums.

As it develops, periodontitis infects tissues, subgingival deposits appear, which curettage will help to cope with. During this procedure, the surface of the root is polished to close the pocket and firmly attach the gum to it. After performing all the manipulations, antibacterial drugs are injected into the gingival pocket. The operation is performed using diode lasers, it is bloodless and almost painless. But what will happen if periodontitis is not treated even at this stage?

The advanced stage of periodontitis

If the disease is left untreated, not only gingival tissue becomes infected, but also bone tissue. Over time, they break down, the teeth begin to loosen, often gaps appear between them. But even in this case, medicine is ready to come to the rescue: photodynamic therapy makes it possible to do without surgical intervention, even at advanced stages of periodontitis. Well, to prevent none of the above from happening, you can follow a few usual rules.

For prevention: it is important to regularly brush your teeth, preferably using hard brushes. To combat tartar, you can use a home irrigator (using a jet of water, this device cleans the spaces between the teeth and periodontal pockets from food debris). And once a year to do professional cleaning of dental plaque.