Gum disease is an infection which can cause bleeding gums, bad breath and teeth that can fall out. Plaque is a bacterial film which forms around the teeth and gums. This is the cause for gum disease. Almost 56 million Americans today suffer from gum disease and this is the prime reason that people lose their teeth.
Gum treatments can be done in a number of different ways. This can depend on how advanced it is. The main ways to treat gum disease is deep cleaning under the gums. Others include gum surgery, bone grafts and also antibiotics. Oral hygiene technique and instruction also plays a critical role in gum treatments.
Gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease. It can be cured with improved oral hygiene. This can be brushing properly at least three times a day, for about three minutes each time. Apart from that, you need to floss at least once a day. You can use antiseptic mouth rinses which contain Chlorhexidine Gluconate (Peridex) or those containing thymol. This can also help eliminate gingivitis.
Early gum disease is treated with scaling and root planning. The dentist uses thin curettes and removes the plaque gently and cleans the tartar under the gum-line. The tooth roots may also be smoothed. This is to make it more difficult for plaque to stick to them in future. This procedure is not very painful. However, some patients may prefer local anesthesia prior to the treatment. The gums will heal in a few weeks. The puffy gums will usually appear healthy, tighter and more stippled. Moderate and advanced gum disease is first treated with scaling usually. The root planning is also used.
After the gums heal, the surgical procedure is scheduled. This is because the dentist cannot effectively remove plaque which remains deep under the gum-line. The treatment usually involves a quarter of the mouth at a time. The dentist numbs the mouth in the area which needs treatment. The gum is then gently separated from the bone. The remaining plaque and tartar are removed. This is done along with the areas of diseased gum. In many cases, gum disease leaves the bone choppy. This requires it to be smoothed and shaped. If there are vertical areas of bone loss, the dentist may consider doing a bone graft.
The material used for doing bone graft may be either artificial, synthetic or from natural sources. The grafting material is placed where there is bone loss and a membrane is used to cover the graft. The gum is then stitched. There is a bubble gum like packing which is placed over the area. Gum surgery is not painful. Discomfort will be there for a few days. The patient will then return in about one week to remove the stitches. If a graft was used, the patient may have to wait six weeks to remove the graft membrane.