Periodontal maintenance – can gum disease be cured?

 In countries like the UK, gum disease affects almost 50% of the population, and it has the potential to significantly impair their quality of life. In fact, over 10% of UK citizens have the most severe type, which is more likely to cause discomfort and possibly tooth loss.

Fortunately, during your regular dentist visits where your dentist will clean and check your teeth, he can easily detect early indications of gingivitis. In most instances, gum disease could be cured in its very early stages; however, if it has advanced to periodontitis, it can only be treated and not be cured.

The importance of understanding gum disease

Gum disease also referred to as periodontal disease, is an infection of the soft tissue of your mouth, such as the gums. It is caused by a kind of bacteria, which we all know as plaque, that has accumulated on the teeth, often as a result of poor dental care. Tartar develops when plaque builds up over time and hardens and the problem is that when it reaches this stage, you must immediately seek dental care since brushing and flossing at home will not eliminate tartar as well as plaque.

How is gum disease identified and what are the common symptoms?

According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, many signs of gum disease include sore, swollen, and red gums, often with bleeding, loose teeth, chronic foul breath, receding gums, and uncomfortable chewing.

Gum disease, on the other hand, should be diagnosed by your dentist, who will check for a variety of distinct indications to determine how far your problem has progressed. Your dentist may also enquire about your medical history to determine if there are circumstances that may be increasing your risk of gum disease. Gum disease can be caused by a variety of diseases, including hormones, smoking, certain medicines, and HIV/AIDS.

What is periodontal maintenance and how is gum disease treated?

Periodontal maintenance is a treatment that is used by dentists to clean the teeth completely. It forms part of an important dental therapy for slowing the growth of periodontitis. If you have early-to-moderate gum disease, your dentist may recommend other nonsurgical therapies such as scaling for example.

Scaling removes plaque and germs from your teeth as well as below the gumline. Root planting, on the other hand, can smooth the root surfaces, discouraging the additional development of germs and removing build-up that is the leading cause of inflammation, while topical or oral medicines will aid in infection control.

At Simply Teeth Essex, we provide a free smile consultation during which one of our qualified dentists will examine your teeth and gums, to check for any of these signs and symptoms, as well as do a proper assessment of your overall dental health. Visit: https://simplyteethessex.co.uk/periodontal-maintenance-can-gum-disease-be-cured/