Periodontitis: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments - Healthline

Periodontitis is a serious infection of the gums. It's caused by bacteria that have been allowed to accumulate on your teeth and gums. HealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeNutritionHealthyEatingMealPrepVitamins&SupplementsLifestyleDietsWeightManagementConditionsProductsPeriodontitisMedicallyreviewedbyChristineFrank,DDS—WrittenbyJacquelynCafasso—UpdatedonMay23,2017StagesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisComplicationsTreatmentOutlookWhatisperiodontitis?Periodontitisisaseriousinfectionofthegums.It’scausedbybacteriathathavebeenallowedtoaccumulateonyourteethandgums.Asperiodontitisprogresses,yourbonesandteethcanbedamaged.However,ifperiodontitisistreatedearlyandproperoralhygieneismaintained,thedamagecanbestopped.Whatarethestagesofperiodontitis?Periodontitisstartsasinflammationandgetsworseovertime.Inflammation(gingivitis)Periodontitisbeginswithinflammationinthegumsknownasgingivitis.Oneofthefirstsignsofgingivitisisthatyourgumswillbleedwhenyoubrushorflossyourteeth.Youmightalsonoticesomediscolorationonyourteeth.Thisiscalledplaque.Plaqueisabuildupofbacteriaandfooddebrisonyourteeth.Althoughbacteriaarealwayspresentinyourmouth,theyonlybecomeharmfulwhenconditionsallowthemtoincreasedramatically.Thismighthappenifyoudon’tbrushorfloss,orgetdentalcleaningsonaregularbasis.EarlyperiodontaldiseaseIntheearlystagesofperiodontitis,yourgumsrecede,orpullaway,fromyourteethandsmallpocketsformbetweengumsandteeth.Thepocketsharborharmfulbacteria.Yourimmunesystemtriestofighttheinfection,andyourgumtissuestartstorecede.You’lllikelyexperiencebleedingduringbrushingandflossingaswell,andpossiblysomeboneloss.ModerateperiodontaldiseaseIflefttoprogresstomoderateperiodontaldisease,youmightexperiencebleedingandpainaroundtheteethandgumrecession.Yourteethwillbegintolosebonesupportandbecomeloose.Theinfectioncanalsoleadtoaninflammatoryresponsethroughoutyourbody.AdvancedperiodontaldiseaseInadvanceddisease,theconnectivetissuethatholdsyourteethinplacebeginstodeteriorate.Thegums,bones,andothertissuethatsupportyourteetharedestroyed.Ifyouhaveadvancedperiodontitis,youmightexperienceseverepainwhilechewing,severebadbreath,andafoultasteinyourmouth.You’lllikelyloseyourteeth.Whatarethesymptomsofperiodontitis?Thesymptomsdependonthestageofdisease,butgenerallyinclude:gumsthatbleedwhenyoubrushyourteethorflossbadbreathchangesinthepositionofyourteethorlooseteethrecedinggumsred,tender,orswollengumsbuildupofplaqueortartaronyourteethpainwhenchewingtoothlossfoultasteinyourmouthinflammatoryresponsethroughoutyourbodySymptomsintheearlystagesofperiodontitisareoftennotverynoticeable.Yourdentistwilllikelybethefirsttopointthemout.Whatcausesperiodontitis?Healthypeoplenormallyhavehundredsofdifferenttypesofbacteriaintheirmouth.Mostofthemarecompletelyharmless.Whenyoudon’tcleanyourteethproperlyeachday,thebacteriagrowandbuilduponyourteeth.Periodontitisistypicallycausedbypoordentalhygiene.Whenyoudon’tbrushyourteethandcleaninhard-to-reachplacesinyourmouth,thefollowinghappens:Thebacteriainyourmouthmultiplyandformasubstanceknownasdentalplaque.Ifyoudon’tremovetheplaquebybrushing,thebacteriadepositmineralswithintheplaqueovertime.Thismineraldepositisknownastartar,whichwillencouragemorebacterialgrowthtowardtherootofthetooth.Yourbody’simmuneresponsetothisbacterialgrowthleadstoinflammationinyourgums.Theattachmentofthegumtotherootofatoothisdisruptedovertime,andaperiodontalpocket(gap)mayformbetweenthegumandroot.Harmfulanaerobicbacteriacolonizeinthepocketandmultiply,releasingtoxinsthatcandamagethegums,teeth,andsupportingbonestructures.Additionally,certainfactorsputyouatahigherriskofperiodontitis,including:smoking,whichisoneofthebiggestriskfactorsforperiodontitistype2diabetesobesityhormonalchangesinwomen(suchaswhenmenstruation,pregnancy,ormenopauseoccurs),whichcanmakethegumsmoresensitiveconditionsthatimpactyourimmunesystem,likeHIVorleukemiamedicationsthatreducetheflowofsalivainyourmouthgeneticspoornutrition,includingadeficiencyinvitaminCHowisperiodontitisdiagnosed?Yourdentistwillbeabletodetectsignsofperiodontitisatanearlystageduringaroutinedentalexamination.Theycanmonitoryourperiodontalstatusovertimetomakesureitdoesn’tgetanyworse.Thisiswhyit’simportantthatyouvisitadentistonaregularbasisforascreening.Yourdentistmayuseatinyrulercalledaprobetomeasureanypocketsonyourgums.Thistestisusuallypainless.Ifplaque,tartar,orbotharefoundonyourteeth,yourdentistwillremovethesesubstancesaspartofaprofessionalcleaning.TheymayalsotakedentalX-raysorreferyoutoaperiodontist,anexpertinthediagnosisandtreatmentofgumdisease,forfurthertestingandtreatment.Whatarethecomplicationsofperiodontitis?Ifnottreatedforperiodontitis,thesupportingstructuresofyourteeth,includingthebonesofyourjaw,canbedestroyed.Yourteethloosenandmightfalloutorrequireextraction.Othercomplicationsofperiodontitisinclude:painfulabscessesmigrationofyourteeth,whichmayinterferewitheatingrecedinggumsandexposureoftherootsofyourteethincreasedriskofcomplicationsduringpregnancy,includinglowbirthweightandpreeclampsiaincreasedriskofheartdisease,respiratorydisease,anddiabetesHowisperiodontitistreated?Treatmentisaimedatremovingplaqueandbacterialdepositsonyourteethandgums.OralhygienepracticesYourdentalcareteamwillgiveyouinstructionsonhowtoreducethenumberofbacteriainyourmouth,whichinvolveskeepingyourteethandgumsclean.Yourdentistwillgiveyouadviceonhowtousetoothbrushesanddentalflossproperly,andmayrecommendotheroralhygieneproductslikeawaterpickormouthwash.Hereareafewtipsforkeepingyourteethhealthy:Brushyourteethtwiceadaywithafluoridetoothpaste.Considerusinganelectrictoothbrush,whichmaybemoreeffective.Flossatleastonceadaytoremoveplaque.Visityourdentistatleasttwiceayearforaprofessionalcleaning.Don’tsmokeorchewtobacco.ProfessionalcleaningsDuringaprofessionalcleaning,yourdentistwillremoveplaquebuildupandtartarfromyourteethandtheirroots,andthenpolishyourteethandtreatthemwithfluoride.Anyperiodontalpocketsthathaveformedcouldrequiredeepcleaningtoenablehealing.Adeep-cleaningmethodcalledscalingandrootplaningwillhelpscrapeofftartarandalsoremoveanyroughspotsonthetoothrootwherebacteriatendtogather.AntibioticsInsomecases,yourdentistwillprescribeantibioticstohelpwithpersistentguminfectionsthathaven’trespondedtocleanings.Theantibioticmightbeintheformofamouthwash,gel,oranoraltabletorcapsule.Follow-upappointmentsYourdentistwillwanttofollowupwithyouafterafewweeks,andthenabouteverythreetosixmonthsafterthattoassessyourprogress.Ifperiodontalpocketsarestillpresent,theymayrecommendothertreatmentoptions,likesurgery.SurgeryIfinflammationpersistsinsitesthatareinaccessibletobrushingandflossing,yourdentistmayrecommendasurgicalprocedurecalledflapsurgerytocleandepositsunderyourgums.Underanesthesia,yourgumsareliftedawayandtherootsofyourteethcleaned.Yourgumsarethensutured(stitched)backintoplace.Ifyou’vehadanyboneloss,aprocedureknownasbonegraftingmaybedoneatthesametimeasflapsurgerytoregeneratethelostbone.Whatistheoutlookforperiodontitis?Periodontitiscanbestoppedifcaughtandtreatedearlyenough.Treatmentistypicallyverysuccessful.Ifyouhaveperiodontitis,regularfollow-upswithadentistareessentialtoensurethatthediseasedoesn’tcontinue.You’llhavetochangeyourdentalhygienehabitsandcooperatefullywithyourdentist’sinstructionsforapositiveoutcome.Thelong-termoutlookdependsonyourowneffortswithoralhygieneandtheongoingassessmentofyourdentist.Inadditiontoperiodontitisprogressingmuchfasterinsmokers,thesepeopleoftenhaveapooroutlookwithperiodontitis.Thevastmajorityofcasesthatdon’trespondtotreatmentinvolvesmokers.LastmedicallyreviewedonMay22,20175sourcescollapsedHealthlinehasstrictsourcingguidelinesandreliesonpeer-reviewedstudies,academicresearchinstitutions,andmedicalassociations.Weavoidusingtertiaryreferences.Youcanlearnmoreabouthowweensureourcontentisaccurateandcurrentbyreadingoureditorialpolicy.BartovaJ,etal.(2014).Periodontitisasariskfactorofatherosclerosis.DOI: dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/636893MayoClinicStaff.(2017).Periodontitis:Overview.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/periodontitis/home/ovc-20315537Periodontal(gum)disease:Causes,symptoms,andtreatments.(2013).nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/GumDiseases/PeriodontalGumDisease.htmStagesandtreatmentofgumdisease.(n.d.).pittsburghdentalimplants.com/periodontal-disease/periodontal-disease-stages-treatment.htmlTypesofgumdisease.(n.d.).perio.org/consumer/types-gum-disease.htmlFEEDBACK:MedicallyreviewedbyChristineFrank,DDS—WrittenbyJacquelynCafasso—UpdatedonMay23,2017ReadthisnextRecedingGumsMedicallyreviewedbyChristineFrank,DDSRecedinggumsareaconditioninwhichyourgumspullbackfromthetoothsurface,exposingtherootsurfacesofyourteeth.Itisaformofgumdisease.READMOREWhat'stheDifferenceBetweenGingivitisandPeriodontitis?MedicallyreviewedbyChristineFrank,DDSGingivitisistheearlieststageofperiodontitisandcanbetreatedandmanagedwithoralcare.Periodontitisrequiresmoreinterventionandtreatmentdependingonthestage.READMOREGingivitis(GumDisease)OverviewMedicallyreviewedbyJenniferArchibald,DDSGingivitisisaninflammationofthegumscausedbyabacterialinfection.Ifleftuntreated,itcanbecomeaseriousinfectionknownasperiodontitis.Learnmore.READMOREToothAbscessMedicallyreviewedbyGeorgeKrucik,MD,MBAAtoothabscessoccurswhenadecayedorbrokentoothfillswithpusandinfectedmaterial.Itcancausepainandswellinginthemouthandsurroundingareas.READMOREIsGingivitisContagious?MedicallyreviewedbyJenniferArchibald,DDSGingivitisiscausedbyabacterialinfectioninthegums.We'lldiscusswhetherit'scontagiousornot.READMOREHowaVirtualVisittoYourDentistCanHelpKeepYourSmileBrightThegrowingfieldofteledentistryofferspeopleoptionstomaintaintheiroralhealthwithoutunnecessaryvisitstothedentist.READMOREWhyAmIGettingaBlackBuilduponMyTeeth?MedicallyreviewedbyJenniferArchibald,DDSIfyou’renotdiligentaboutremovingplaque,itmightturnintostubborntartar.Thisoftenlooksyellow,butitcanappeargrayorblack.READMOREDrySocketMedicallyreviewedbyJenniferArchibald,DDSDrysocketisacommoncomplicationoftoothremoval.Ifleftuntreated,drysocketitselfcanleadtocomplicationslikeinfection.Here'swhatyou…READMORE19RemediesforWisdomTeethPainReliefMedicallyreviewedbyChristineFrank,DDSAreyourwisdomteethcausingyoupain?Hereare19remediesforwisdomteethpainrelieftohelpyoufindreliefathome.READMOREWhatCanCauseSomeonetoHaveanExtraTooth(Mesiodens)?Medical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