Gum disease is not curable, but it can be controlled with appropriate treatment. It cannot be cured because, once the structural support around the teeth is lost, it is lost. Everyone's mouth is full of bacteria. Good oral hygiene can prevent bacteria from causing gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease. If you detect and treat gingivitis early, you can prevent permanent damage to your teeth and gums.
Visit the dentist regularly for cleaning and checkups, not just when you have a toothache or other dental problem. Regardless of the stage of the infection, you can stop the progression of gum disease. The initial phase is the easiest to handle, since it only requires maintaining proper oral care and dental checkups. Later stages will require specialized treatment, such as peeling and straightening the roots.
Brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste can go a long way in keeping infection away. Good dental care also requires minimizing the consumption of sugary foods. The first step in treating gum disease is to improve oral hygiene habits. This means brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing once a day, and visiting the dentist regularly for cleanings and checkups.
The treatment may be performed by a dentist or periodontist. A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in gum disease. A dental hygienist may work with your dentist or periodontist as part of your treatment plan. The goal of treatment is to thoroughly clean the pockets around the teeth and prevent damage to surrounding gingival and bone tissue.
The best chances of successful treatment are also to have a good daily oral care routine, to control conditions that may affect dental health, and to stop using tobacco. In addition to tooth loss, gum disease exposes you to other health conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, and pneumonia. Brushing and flossing your teeth every day, using an antibacterial mouthwash, following a healthy diet that's low in sugar, and having regular dental checkups (at least twice a year) can help you regain gum health. Gingivitis is the initial stage of gum disease, in which inflammation or bleeding can occur in response to plaque buildup.
In addition to the treatments we have discussed in the post, you can recover your gum health if you observe good oral care. The most serious forms of gum disease can be treated by a dental health professional and may include referral to a specialist called a periodontist. Depending on the severity of your periodontitis, your dentist may refer you to a specialist in treating periodontal disease called periodontist. This image illustrates the stages of gum disease, from gingivitis to advanced periodontitis, which can lead to serious damage to the teeth and jaw and even tooth loss if left untreated.
People who have very early periodontal disease (gingivitis) can reverse the condition with routine dental cleaning and better oral hygiene. However, if you've already lost bone around your teeth due to infection, the disease is too advanced to reverse. In some people, genes play a role in gum disease by changing the way the immune system responds to bacteria. In addition to this, there are many other home treatments you can try to reduce inflammation or infection in your gums. The dentist can assign a stage and grade to periodontitis based on the severity of the disease, the complexity of the treatment, risk factors and health status.
If these home treatments aren't effective in treating gum disease, your dentist may recommend professional treatments.
