Gum disease---or periodontal disease---is an infection of the bone and gum tissues caused by an accumulation of plaque and bacteria. Many symptoms of gum disease do not appear (or asymptomatic) until advanced stages of the disease, but indications may include persistent bad breath odor, sores or pus in between teeth, loose teeth or separation and movement in your regular bite, swollen gums, and bleeding when brushing or flossing. Although surgery is one option for combating gum disease, non-surgical treatments can be employed to help fight periodontal disease, such as Scaling and Root Planning (SRP).
SRP can be done in your general dentist's office by the hygienist and can save you thousands of dollars. However, gum disease is NOT curable, but can be maintained and its affects can be stopped and somewhat reversed. It is because of this reason that it is important that after your SRP procedure(s) that you see your dentist every 2-4 months for periodontal (gum) maintenance depending on the severity of the infection.
Why can't I have a normal cleaning as opposed to an SRP?
Since gum disease is a chronic disease (meaning it gets worse over time) the bone and its ligaments around the teeth begin to deteriorate as the bacterial infection gets worse and worse. As the bone and ligaments deteriorate your teeth become loose and can start to shift, thus causing movement in your bite and eventually leading to tooth loss. A regular healthy mouth cleaning (prophy) does not address the infection, it is purely a preventive procedure and since you already have the infection you are then beyond preventive care. It's kind of like having a dirty car and polishing the car before it is clean. All you are doing is polishing the dirty onto the car and allowing the dirt to do more damage.
Can I have a relapse of infection? If so, what do I do?
Yes, every patient with gum disease can relapse, because the disease is NON-CURABLE. Many patients have the initial SRP procedure and then quit treatment thinking they are cured; however, should a patient fail to maintain their gum maintenance the infection can return and should the infection come back worse surgery might be the next option. Sometimes when caught early enough the patient can be stabilized with another round of SRPs, but must maintain the gum maintenance appointments required to keep the infection at bay.
Can't I just take an antibiotic to cure it?
Unfortunately, there is no antibiotic available to cure this disease. Scientists are unable to pin-point the direct cause of gum disease, therefore they are having a hard time developing an antibiotic cure-all. They have, however, developed an antibiotic called Arestin that when placed during the SRP procedure can help fight the bacterial infection that an SRP might leave behind.
So if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
· persistent bad breath odor,
· sores or pus in between teeth,
· loose teeth or separation and movement in your regular bite,
· swollen gums, and/or
· bleeding when brushing or flossing.
Call our office today for a complete comprehensive exam and x-ray!
843-884-6166