Cape Town Smile Studios

As gingivits (gum disease) progresses, it starts to destroy the bone around the tooth, resulting in loose teeth....

Knowing the state of your periodontal health is important.

Do you suffer from...
gums that bleed easily, such as during brushing or flossing?
red, swollen or tender gums?
gums that have pulled away from the teeth?
persistent bad breath?
loose or separating teeth?
a change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite?
are you over 30?

Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection of the gingiva and bone.  The gingiva and bone are the supporting system of the teeth in the mouth.  Periodontal disease is a silent epidemic that does not hurt.  It is site specific: it occurs in asynchronous bursts at active sites, and it has periods of remission and healing at inactive sites, in the same mouth at the same time.  It is contagious: it can spread between sites and family members through acts such as kissing.

Healthy gums fit tight around the tooth, is slight pink in colour and cannot be pushed away from the tooth.

The first stage of periodontal disease results is deeper probing, more bleeding, and calculus deposits on the teeth. Some loss of bone occurs.

Early gingivitis can be seen as red and bleeding gums. the gums can be probled slightly.

The next stage of periodontal disease involves more bone loss, thus deeper probing depths, called pockets.

During the later stages of periodontal disease large amounts of bone is lost, resulting in teeth becomming loose.

 Each person is an unique biochemical individual.   Each person's immune response to periodontal disease is varied and influenced by the following risk factors:

• family history
• prior periodontal disease
• medications
• clenching/grinding
• age
• stress
• gender
• family transmission
• smoking
• osteoporosis
• diabetes
• hormones

Once the bone around the tooth is destroyed it will never grow back. This will lead to unsightly dark spaces between the teeth that used to be filled with gum.

Foreign objects in the mouth will contribute to periodontal disease if the appliances are not kept extremely clean, including the teeth.

Conservative care means using:

• mechanical debridement of the mouth to eliminate bacteria and calculus and plaque = deep scaling and root planing
• curettage of necrotic tissues in severe cases
• application of local, natural antimicrobials to disinfect and disrupt the bacterial colony formed in the infected sites
• intensive home care plus professional hygiene visits 3 to 4 times a year
• reevaluate the healing process
• modify some of the risk factors mentioned above

Periodontal disease may increase your risk for the following health concerns:

• diabetes
• cardiovascular disease
• stroke
• lung infections
• pre-term, low birth weight infants
• respiratory diseases

Periodontal disease can be managed and controlled but never cured. Once the bone around a tooth is lost, it is lost forever, and will enver grow back as with a broken arm or a leg. 

One good oral habit is to never allow any one to kiss you on the mouth, thus infecting you with their bacteria.  This is especially true for kissing babies on the mouth.

BLEEDING GUMS SHOULD NEVER BE IGNORED.  BLEEDING IS THE FIRST SIGN OF TROUBLE! 

* All sketches with permission from " The science of tooth and gum care" by Oral-B Laboratories, One Lagoon Drive, Redwood City, CA, 94065-9941