Tissues that allow teeth to stay in the gums are collectively called periodontal. And periodontitis is an inflammatory process that affects these areas. Most often, this problem is found in middle-aged people, but it happens that it is diagnosed in patients younger than 30 years. The violation needs competent therapy, otherwise it can lead to a number of complications, including complete loss of teeth. Therefore, it is so important to know about the symptoms and treatment of periodontitis in order to identify it in time and take appropriate measures.

Possible causes of the disease

Periodontitis can be localized (focal), when only certain areas are affected, and generalized, developing in the entire oral cavity.

The reasons for the first include the following factors:

  • carious formations on the teeth;
  • injuries and mechanical damage to the gums;
  • malocclusion;
  • incorrect dental treatment when fillings are installed that are not suitable for their anatomical forms;
  • unprofessional prosthetics if incorrectly made crowns or removable systems are placed.

Inflammation of periodontal tissues of a generalized type develops under the influence of the following factors:

  • improper oral hygiene, leading to an increase in the activity of pathogenic microflora;
  • eating predominantly soft foods, which reduces the load;
  • metabolic disorder in periodontal ligaments and tissues;
  • atypical tooth arrangement;
  • low immune defense;
  • the presence of vascular and endocrine disorders, as well as diseases of the digestive system;
  • exposure to toxins or radiation;
  • constant stress;
  • drug abuse;
  • addictions;
  • conditions against which the hormonal background changes (these include pregnancy and some health disorders);
  • heredity.

On a note. In some cases, periodontitis develops as a complication of gingivitis, if adequate measures aimed at stopping the process have not been taken in time.

Periodontitis stages

Periodontal inflammation, depending on the severity of the lesion, is classified into the following degrees:

  1. Easy. It is characterized by a relatively shallow depth of periodontal "pockets" of not more than 0.3 cm. Pain and mobility of dental units are practically absent, but bleeding of the gums after brushing is noted.
  2. Medium. At this stage, the depth of the "pockets" increases to 0.5 cm, while the necks of the teeth are partially exposed. The patient experiences severe discomfort when the enamel comes in contact with hot and cold food, drinks.
  3. Heavy. This degree is formed several years after the onset of the first signs of the disease. In this case, the recesses reach 0.6 cm or more, and food particles accumulate in them. This leads to the appearance of purulent formations, which are secreted with the slightest pressing of the gums. At the same time, the teeth are exposed and become very mobile.

Tooth mobility is evaluated on a 4-point scale.

Such degrees are distinguished:

  • the first, when the teeth are shifted by no more than 0.1 cm;
  • the second, in which the displacement occurs by more than 0.1 cm;
  • third, in this case, the teeth become mobile in all directions - both horizontally and vertically;
  • the fourth, characterized not only by mobility in any direction, but also by turning freely around its own axis.

By the nature of the course, the disease is divided into the following forms:

  1. Aggressive or acute periodontitis. In this case, the violation develops rapidly, and the symptoms increase in a few weeks. Bleeding and pain appear almost immediately. If you leave this unattended, purulent formations will soon appear.
  2. Chronic periodontitis. With such a violation, the symptoms are expressed implicitly, and the disease is lethargic. It does not cause particular suffering to the patient, but the destructive processes affecting the gums, tooth and bone tissue, nevertheless, do not stop, but slowly develop.

Important! To prevent the transition of the disease to a severe form, you need to start treating periodontitis on time, going to the dentist immediately, as the first symptoms were discovered.

Signs and Symptoms

The severity of symptomatology depends on the degree of neglect of the disease.

It can be manifested by such signs:

  • stench from the mouth;
  • spotting from the gums;
  • yellowish-brown plaque in the basal region of the teeth;
  • inflammation of the mucous membrane in the oral cavity;
  • the appearance of gaps between the teeth;
  • purulent discharge;
  • frequent pains, aggravated by chewing food and in the process of hygiene;
  • violation of the appearance of the partitions between the teeth, the appearance of gaps;
  • exposure of roots;
  • hypersensitivity to enamel.

The following symptoms can join the listed symptoms:

  • increased saliva viscosity;
  • pulsation and "backache" in the gums;
  • an increase in lymph nodes in the submandibular region and their soreness;
  • headache.

In especially severe cases, loss of completely healthy teeth is noted. In order to prevent this, it is important to diagnose the disease in time and start therapy.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of the disease is carried out comprehensively.

As part of the confirmation or refutation of the presence of a violation, the following measures are taken:

  • medical history and dental examination;
  • determination of the degree of bleeding;
  • laboratory tests of blood and urine;
  • reoperodontography;
  • roentgenography;
  • holding periodontal index.

The latter technique allows you to identify plaque and the degree of tissue damage. As part of the study, a special solution is applied to the teeth and surface of the tongue, which helps to determine third-party formations. Evaluation of the results is carried out in points.

How to treat periodontitis

Periodontitis in the mild and moderate stages is treated with medicines and folk remedies. More severe forms of the disease require surgical intervention. Let us consider in detail these types of therapy.

Drug therapy

Conservative treatment of periodontal inflammation can be divided into local and general. In the first case, antibacterial drugs are prescribed in the form of agents for oral administration or intramuscular injection. Therapy with these medicines is carried out for no more than 10 days.

Local treatment involves the following procedures:

  • rinsing the oral cavity with antiseptic solutions;
  • flushing the "pockets" with a special syringe;
  • compresses with medicines in the form of gels that allow you to fight microbes and inflammations;
  • the use of special pastes.

Important! If the patient can do mouth rinses and compresses on his own, then only the doctor should wash the “pockets”.

Folk remedies

In order to accelerate recovery and increase the effectiveness of the treatment, it is permissible to use folk remedies.

 

In the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the gums, the following compounds have proven themselves well:

  • fir and sea-buckthorn oil for rubbing in problem areas;
  • infusion of an equal amount of calendula and lime blossom for rinsing;
  • a decoction of oak bark or comfrey roots, used for the same purpose.

Attention! Before using any method of healing within the framework of traditional medicine, you need to discuss this with your doctor.

Surgery

In the presence of complications or a severe form of the disease, surgery is performed.

Depending on the nature of the manifestations, the following types of operations can be prescribed:

  1. Gingivectomy. Such treatment is effective only in the initial stages of the disease. The doctor makes an incision on the gum, through which the pocket is cleaned and purulent formations are removed. After this damage is treated with disinfecting solutions and filled with iodine. With such an intervention, local anesthesia is used.
  2. Gingivoplasty. As part of this intervention, pockets are cleaned, tartar removed and caries healed, after which the dental tissue is covered with a protective compound. The gums are renewed due to the epithelium taken from the sky, and bone tissue is also being restored. Such an intervention allows you to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the teeth.
  3. Patchwork therapy. The purpose of the intervention is to eliminate plaque and protect tooth roots. At the same time, the gums are fixed so that they are not exposed: the tissue is incised, and then the flap is laid as needed, and the dissected area is sutured. Such treatment is carried out under local anesthesia.

When the stability of the teeth is noticeably impaired, and they become mobile, splinting is used. This intervention involves the installation of fixing systems.

They are of the following types:

  • crossbars on the gums;
  • crowns worn after grinding and filling of problematic units;
  • arch prostheses.

The latter method of treatment is considered the most costly and time-consuming.

Forecast and consequences

With timely treatment and compliance with all the doctor's recommendations, the prognosis is favorable. When therapy is started late, complications develop.

They are expressed in:

  • sharp pains in the teeth and adjacent area;
  • frequent increases in temperature indicators;
  • strong purulent discharge;
  • destructive processes in tissues;
  • general ailments and a feeling of powerlessness;
  • loss of healthy dental units.

According to statistics, the last complication occurs in approximately 20% of patients under the age of 50 yearsand 30% of older individuals suffering from periodontal disease experience complete tooth loss.

Periodontitis and periodontal disease - what is the difference

Patients often confuse periodontitis with periodontal disease. The difference between these diseases is that in the first case there is obvious inflammation and edema, blood is often released, "pockets" are formed and tooth mobility increases.

And with periodontal disorders, the gums remain tight, the dental units hold tight and there are no “pockets”. But at the same time, the necks and roots are exposed, which soon leads to the development of wedge-shaped defects.

Prevention

To prevent the development of inflammation, and if such a problem already exists, to reduce the risk of complications, you need to follow the simplest preventive measures.

These include:

  1. Brushing teeth regularly.
  2. Nutrition
  3. The presence in the diet of solid foods that allow a natural way to clean the enamel.
  4. Strengthening the immune system.
  5. Rejection of bad habits.
  6. Taking measures to prevent gum injuries.
  7. Regular preventive examinations at the dentist.
  8. Timely treatment of diseases of the oral cavity.
  9. Installation of prostheses after loss or removal of at least one tooth.
  10. Correction of malocclusion, if there is such a violation.

These measures will prevent the growth of bacteria in the oral cavity and prevent periodontitis or other dental disorders.

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