Regeneration in Order to Alleviate Gum Disease

Image courtesy of maen_cg at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Do you like sweets too much? Are you afraid of going to the dentist because you equate dental visits with pain? Are you too bored to brush or floss your teeth regularly? If you answered yes to all these questions, then you’re definitely going to develop gum disease in the future. Neglecting responsible tooth and gum care can lead not only to bad breath, but worse, destruction of the teeth and gums. Every time you feel like ignoring your teeth, always remember that one of the most sensitive parts of your body is your teeth. There are a lot of nerve endings on your teeth, that’s why you feel pain intensely whenever your teeth are being cleaned. Just think how much more painful it will be if your teeth are cleaned from the root- or worse, if your teeth are forcibly removed. That’s why it’s important for you to take precautionary measures against gum disease by following the only way of preventing it-by brushing and flossing your teeth regularly.

What is gum disease by the way? Also known as periodontal disease, it manifests by the forming of plaque and tartar around certain areas in the gums and teeth. The worse part is that it’s accompanied by an invasion of bad bacteria, which stick to the jaw portion of the mouth. The bad bacteria target the ligaments and bones which hold teeth firmly against the jaw. At first, you will feel only little or no pain at all. However, as the gum disease progresses, you will gradually be subject to intense pain on your teeth and gums. The pain is a signal that the bad bacteria have already penetrated deep into your dental cavity. If this is the case, then rush to your dentist to seek for a cure.

Early detection of gum disease can lead to lighter treatment in the form of non-surgical methods. Planing and scaling are dental methods which aim to eradicate bacteria from the teeth and gums. Root planing is able to delve deep into your periodontal areas to scrape off tartar and plaque. In order to prevent a return of the bad bacteria, antimicrobial therapies and modulation of host should be conducted after the non-surgical methods have been conducted.

An advanced stage of gum disease, however, would involve more drastic dental methods. Severe gum disease destroys bone surrounding the teeth and gums. In a worst case-scenario, teeth have to be extracted because of the lack of bone matter to support them. The best method to overcome this predicament would involve regeneration. This involves two steps. First, the dentist folds back gum tissue in order to reach and eliminate the disease-causing bacteria. Second, the dentist inserts grafts of bone and tissue, along with proteins, in order to replace the material eaten up by the bacteria. The grafted materials would combine with existing bone and tissue, helping bring back the original state of teeth and gums. Regeneration provides a good surgical alternative to those who are inflicted with severe gum disease.