Symptoms and Treatment of Gum Disease

Dr. Dt. Beril Karagenç Batal gave information about the subject. Gum diseases, on the other hand, can be defined as the inflammation of this tissue that covers the entire mouth and then the progression of this inflammation to the underlying bone and causing a decrease in the bone tissue. Even white, healthy teeth with no cavities may have to be extracted due to gum disease.

Our mouth is a special part of our body. Because it is an organ and tissue composition that is open to external factors and has a complex bacterial (good – bad) dynamic. Gums are the tissue surrounding the teeth and jawbones, which is affected by general body health and directly affects systemic health. It is now an accepted fact in the literature that bacteria that cause gum diseases have a risk of causing very serious conditions related to our general health, such as heart diseases, diabetes, premature birth, and rheumatoid arthritis.

What are the symptoms of gum disease?

• bleeding gums
• swelling of the gums
• Darkening of the gums, turning the light pink color to red
• Rocking of the teeth, gaping of the teeth over time
• Pain on chewing, cold-hot sensitivities
• bad breath, bad taste
• Small abscess foci that are activated from time to time on the gingival margins

The causes of gum problems can be listed as follows:

• Genetic predisposition: If your parents or first-degree relatives have lost their teeth at an early age, consider yourself at risk and take precautions.
• Lack of personal care: Oral hygiene habits are very important for gum health. With regular brushing, the number of bacteria is reduced. A clean mouth prevents bacteria and plaque formation. Thus, gingivitis can be prevented.
• Lack of professional care: Tartar formation is one of the body's natural processes. Depending on the nature of the saliva, some people are more prone to tartar formation. Tartar is both a symptom and a cause of gum disease. Therefore, dental calculus should be cleaned periodically by dentists. Thus, many negative situations from gingivitis to bad breath are prevented.
• Some systemic diseases and related drugs: Some systemic diseases, especially diabetes, are among the causes of gum diseases. Also, high blood pressure medications, heart medications, blood thinners or birth control pills can affect gum health.
• Vitamin deficiencies: Vitamin K, C, B12, folic acid deficiency in the body can also cause bleeding in the gums. The possibility of vitamin deficiency should be taken into account, especially in cases of persistent bleeding that does not respond to treatment.
•  Pregnancy: A popular belief, "one child, one tooth". In other words, every pregnancy ends with the mother's tooth loss or caries. Actually, this is not very true in terms of teeth. On the other hand, pregnancy hormones can affect the gums. Swelling, bleeding, redness of the gums may occur. In such a case, you should consult your doctor and get the necessary treatment.
• Worn, fillings and coatings with poor gingival compatibility: The most important point of restorations such as fillings, coatings and prostheses applied to the teeth is that they are designed in such a way that they do not cause irritation to the gingiva. In addition, it is very necessary for the selected materials to be biocompatible. Existing restorations may need to be renewed, especially in certain areas, if you have bleeding gums or bad issues at the points where only compression treatments are applied.

If you think you have a genetic predisposition to the gums or you have complaints about this, contact your dentist immediately. Especially when it comes to gingiva, there may be very different personal requirements instead of general applications.

Treatment of Gum Disease

In the treatment of gingival disease, it is necessary to measure the depth of the pockets formed between the tooth and the gingiva with a special instrument. Diagnosis is made and treatment is planned according to the amount and depth of these pockets. Since deep pockets will prepare a suitable environment for the rapid progression of gingival disease, the aim of the treatment is to make them as shallow as possible. Because it is impossible for you to completely clean the microorganisms that settle in the deep pockets by brushing and using dental floss.