The Main Causes of Periodontal Disease and Treatment Options
Why Do Gums Recede
The most common cause of gum recession is a bacterial infection called periodontal (gum) disease. It is caused by dental plaque, bacterial film, and food particles on the teeth. Gum disease weakens the gums, causing them to recede.
Causes of Gum Recession
Periodontitis development begins with a dental plaque, a sticky film composed of bacteria. If left untreated, dental plaque eventually develops into Periodontitis.
Plaque Formation
When starches and sugars in food interact with bacteria that normally exist in the mouth, they form plaque on the teeth. Brushing and flossing your teeth clears plaque, but plaque will quickly re-form.
The Dental plaque Hardens into Tartar.
Tartar is more difficult to get rid of and is full of bacteria. In addition, the longer plaque and tartar stay on the teeth, the more damage they cause. You need professional cleaning to remove the plaque and tartar at this stage.
Dental Plaque can Cause Gingivitis.
Gingivitis is the mild inflammation and irritation of the part of the gum tissue surrounding the tooth’s root. Gingivitis is reversible using the professional treatment and good home oral care.
Persistent Gum Inflammation causes Periodontitis.
This leads to the formation of pockets full of tartar, plaque, and bacteria between teeth and gums. Over time, these pockets become deeper and fill with more bacteria. Without treatment, these deep infections can cause tissue and bone loss, and eventually, you may lose teeth. In addition, persistent chronic inflammation can put pressure on your immune system.
Periodontal disease can cause more complications. For example, Periodontitis is linked with rheumatoid arthritis, heart problems, respiratory disease, and controls blood sugar in people with diabetes.
Preventing Gum Recession
Gum disease can be prevented by practicing basic oral hygiene and regular dental checkups.
Periodontal Gum Disease Treatment
We have many ways to treat gum disease. After examining your teeth and gums, we recommend determining the root cause of the problem and what measures should be taken to resolve it.
The severity of Periodontitis usually determines the treatment plan. We recommend that patients look for early signs of gum disease and make an appointment immediately so that the least invasive surgery can be used to correct the problem. Advanced procedures may be needed to heal the gums when the disease spreads. This may involve surgery.
The first step during gum recession treatment is to complete a deep clean. Removing tartar and plaque from teeth and gums stimulates the healing process. Once the plaque and bacteria are removed, the gums heal naturally.
Standard tooth cleaning is used if the plaque is only at the edge of the gum line. It needs to be cleaned and root-plastered if it is trapped between the gums and the teeth. We need to scrape the plaque from the teeth below the gums in this case. Some dentists use lasers to complete operations faster.
Surgery is necessary when the gums have shrunk significantly. When pockets form in the gum tissue, they need to be repaired to protect the teeth again. In this case, gum grafting may help.
This is done by removing tissue from the roof or other area of the mouth and transplanting it onto the gums so that the gum tissue can begin to regenerate. Then fixing the gums around the tooth to protect it and its root.
If bone loss is caused by gum disease, a bone graft may be needed to repair and strengthen the teeth. During this process, synthetic or natural bone is pressed into the area and sealed so that the bone can begin to regenerate.
These processes help heal and restore your gums. Your dentist will begin with a deep clean to see how your gums react and start to heal. If you cannot recover in a short time, we may perform necessary surgical operations.
At Holger Dental Group – Minnetonka, we provide treatments to patients who suffer from gum disease throughout Minneapolis and Minnetonka. Our periodontal office near you offers various treatment solutions to help fight symptoms and heal gums. If your gums are unhealthy, please call us to make an appointment and receive a dental examination.