Gum Diseases and Treatment
What is Periodontology?
Examines the anatomy, physiology and histology of the soft and hard tissues surrounding the teeth; It is the science that investigates the diseases that occur in these tissues, provides the treatment of these diseases and the continuity of the health obtained as a result of the treatment.
What Does Healthy Gum Look Like?
Dried rose is pink in color. It is tight, clinging to the teeth. Its surface is rough like an orange peel. Does not bleed while brushing. Pain and swelling are not observed. Bleeding gums indicate that you have gum disease. The cause of this disease is tartar (tartar) and dense plaque. If you have a complaint of bleeding gums, you should definitely see a gum disease specialist.
What is Gum Bleeding?
Gum bleeding is the most important symptom of gum disease. Gum bleeding has an important place among the common dental problems seen in society. It can be caused by simple gingivitis, as well as a symptom of an underlying systemic disease. Gum bleeding is one of the reasons that direct patients to the doctor. Healthy gums do not bleed. For this reason, those who have bleeding gums should definitely apply to health institutions, learn the cause of this problem and start the treatment process.
What are the diseases that cause bleeding gums?
There are many ailments that lead to bleeding gums. The most common of these are; are inflammations that affect the gums and teeth bones. Eighty percent of tooth loss observed in adults is caused by inflammatory conditions involving the gums and jawbone. The most common gum diseases are gingivitis and periodontitis.
gingivitis
Gingivitis is known as the onset of gum disease. Gums in the presence of this disease; bleeding, red and enlarged in volume. The most important sign of understanding whether you have gum disease or not is bleeding during tooth brushing. If left untreated, it progresses to Periodontitis and causes damage to the bone that supports the teeth and gums. Treatment; It can be done in a short time with dental scaling, brushing with the right technique, and dental floss applications.
periodontitis
It is the advanced state of gum diseases. Along with the other tissues that support the teeth, the bone that supports the teeth is also damaged. Pockets are formed between the teeth and gums due to bone loss, and the bacteria in this pocket multiply rapidly. Because this area is a small area that cannot be cleaned. As the disease progresses, the teeth may become loose and if left untreated, tooth loss may occur. Periodontal disorders can progress without revealing visible signs and without causing any pain complaints in the patient. When early diagnosis and treatment is made, the lost tissues can be regained, and the progress of the treatment is stopped by eliminating the factor at advanced levels. Therefore, early diagnosis is very important and regular checks should be made by a gum disease specialist. The aim of treatment is to eliminate the factors that cause the progression of these diseases. This depends on what stage of the disease the diagnosis is made. While curettage treatment is sufficient in the early stages, flap therapy or bone powder addition with the flap may be required in the late stages.
​
It is a deep cleaning process performed to stop the progression of gum diseases. It is a procedure performed without opening the gums and without stitching. This process is often confused with normal tartar cleaning. The procedure performed here is not the cleaning of the tooth surface, but the cleaning of the 4-6 mm deep infection that has started to progress towards the tooth root between the gum and the bone. The area is anesthetized with local anesthesia and the treatment is started. The duration of the treatment varies between two and four sessions, depending on the number of teeth affected.
Curettage Treatment
Flap Treatment
During the flap operation, the gingiva is opened, pockets that cause inflammation are eliminated, and bone irregularities are eliminated. If necessary, the losses in the bone are removed with biomaterials such as bone powders and membranes. With the complete cleaning of the infected tissues and the removal of tooth loss, the gingiva is closed again and the treatment is terminated. Improvement is observed in the first two weeks with regular follow-ups after treatment. Flap operation prices are determined according to the size of the disease that has occurred in the gum and bone. In cases where bone powder will be used, bone powder prices will also have an effect on the treatment fee.
What are the Symptoms of Gum Disease?
Many diseases, not just gingival diseases, can cause gingival bleeding. The most common causes of bleeding gums are:
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. It occurs due to the fact that the plaques that occur on the gums are not cleaned over time, and the resulting plaques lead to the reproduction of bacteria. This results in bleeding from the gums.
In particular, blood thinners will facilitate bleeding in the gums, as they will make blood clotting difficult.
Changing hormonal activities during pregnancy can cause gingival sensitivity. Bleeding may occur during dental care due to increased blood flow in the gums.
Not paying enough attention to oral care is the main cause of gum diseases and therefore bleeding gums. Oral health can only be achieved with regular daily oral care. For this reason, teeth should be brushed at least twice a day, floss should be used and the tongue should be cleaned.
As stress causes many diseases, it can also pave the way for oral diseases. Stress causes vascular health to deteriorate and the immune system to become weak. As a result, oral health may deteriorate and gum bleeding may occur.
In diabetes or diabetes, the gums lose their normal tissue properties and become prone to bleeding.
Vitamin deficiencies; It is a risk factor for bleeding gums, especially since the gums are damaged in the deficiencies of vitamins C and K. Vitamin C is indispensable in the health of the connecting tissues of the teeth, jaw bones and gums. Bleeding disorder develops in vitamin K deficiency.
Factors such as eating habits, improper consumption of crusty or hard foods that can damage teeth and gums can also cause gum bleeding.
In blood diseases such as leukemia, the platelet count can drop significantly, causing bleeding.
Chronic diseases such as liver or kidney failure create bleeding disorders.
If you are also experiencing bleeding gums, you should immediately consult a gum disease specialist and be examined. Thus, you can prevent serious problems that may lead to tooth loss in the future.
How to Prevent Gingival Inflammation?
In order to prevent the formation of gingivitis, attention should be paid to tongue cleaning as well as mouth and teeth cleaning. Even with great care, there may be areas in the mouth that cannot be cleaned due to the position of the teeth. Professional cleaning is required for cleaning these areas.
How to Treat Gum Bleeding or Diseases?
For the prevention and treatment of plaque-related gingival diseases, existing plaque and tartar must be removed. Dental plaque that has hardened and turned into calculus can only be removed by professional cleaning by the dentist. If the gum disease is in an advanced stage (periodontitis), scaling and root correction should be applied to treat diseased gum pockets and gum infection. Sometimes laser therapy can also be applied to remove tartar.
If the gingival pockets are deeper than 5 mm and there is no improvement after the non-surgical treatment, it may be necessary to perform a gingival flap operation (gingival surgery) to reduce the depth of the periodontal pockets and reshape the lost bone tissue. In some cases, bone powder can be added with the flap to replace the lost bone tissue.
How Long Does Gum Treatment Take?
The duration of treatment varies according to which stage of the disease the physician is consulted. While the diseases diagnosed at the initial stage are treated in a single session, the duration of the treatment in patients presenting at advanced stages depends on how far the disease has progressed and how much attention the patient pays to oral hygiene procedures during the treatment.
What If I Don't Have Teeth Cleaning ?
For gum health and oral hygiene, tartar cleaning should be done regularly. Otherwise, gum disease enters an irreversible path leading to tooth loss by damaging the fibers connecting the tooth to the jawbone and the jawbone.
Is Teeth Removal A Painful Procedure?
Teeth removal is not a painful procedure. At least ninety percent of my patients who come to my clinic for dental calculus removal are treated without the need for anesthesia (without numbing). My patients to whom I anesthetize are mostly those with extreme tooth sensitivity.
Does Cleaning Teeth Damage My Teeth?
Contrary to a common belief in our society, tartar accumulates around teeth that are not cleaned; gingival bleeding, gingival recession, bone loss and tooth loss.
What to do for those who are afraid to brush because their gums are bleeding?
One of the most common situations is when patients stop brushing because their gums bleed. As they stop brushing, bleeding increases and this vicious cycle continues. In such a case, a gum disease specialist should be consulted and regular cleaning procedures should be performed after the treatment.
How Long Should Teeth Cleaning Be Performed?
The answer to this question is different for each patient. In some patients, dental calculus is intensely formed by the body. For this reason, tartar cleaning varies from person to person between three months and a year.