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Patient Services

PERIODONTAL DISEASE

What is Gingivitis?

Gingivitis is the initial stage of periodontal disease. Affected gum areas become increasingly red. They may appear swollen and may bleed easily, especially when you brush and floss your teeth. The conditional is reversible at this stage with regular brushing, flossing, and visits to Dr. Eckermann. If it is not treated, however, gingivitis may lead to more serious condition called periodontitis or periodontal disease.

What is periodontal disease?

The word periodontal means “around the tooth.” Healthy gum tissue fits like a cuff around each tooth. Where the gum like meets the tooth, it forms a slight v-shaped crevice called a sulcus. In healthy teeth, this space is usually three millimeters or less.

Periodontal diseases are infections that affect the tissues and the bone that support teeth. As the tissues are damaged, the sulcus develops into a pocket that is greater than three millimeters. Generally, the more severe the disease, the greater the pocket depth and bone loss. The enlarged pockets allow harmful bacteria to grow and make it difficult to practice effective oral hygiene. Left untreated, periodontal diseases may eventually lead to tooth loss.

How are periodontal disease diagnosed?

During your routine care appointments at our office we will examine your gums for periodontal problems. An instrument called a periodontal probe is used to gently measure the depths of spaces between your teeth and gums. At the very edge of the gum-line healthy gum tissue forms a very shallow, v-shaped groove (also known as sulcus) between the tooth and gums. The normal depth of the sulcus should be three millimeters or less. When periodontal disease is present, this normally shallow sulcus develops into a deeper pocket that bleeds, collects more plaque bacteria and is difficult to clean. Dental x-rays also may be taken to evaluate the condition of bone supporting the teeth and to detect other problems not visible during clinical exam.

Several warning signs can signal a problem. If you notice any of the following, you may have periodontal disease:

What cause periodontal diseases?

The mouth is filled with countless bacteria. Periodontal disease begins when certain bacteria in plaque (the sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on the teeth and the surfaces lining the mouth) produce toxins and enzymes that irritate the gums and cause inflammation. The resulting inflammation, which may be painless, can damage the attachment of gums and bone to the teeth.

Good oral hygiene- brushing twice a day and flossing or using another interdental cleaner once a day- helps reduce the plaque film. Plaque that is not removed regularly can harden into rough porous deposit called calculus, or tartar. Tartar is not the main cause of periodontal diseases, but the pores in tartar hold the bacteria and toxins, which are impossible to remove even with regular brushing. Once the hardened tartar forms it can only be removed when teeth are cleaned at the dental office.

The periodontal-system disease interrelationships

Tooth loss is not the only potential problem posed by periodontal diseases. Research suggests that there may be a link between periodontal diseases and other health concerns such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, bacterial pneumonia, and increases risk during pregnancy. Researchers are trying to determine if bacteria and inflammation associated with periodontal diseases play a role in affecting these systemic diseases and conditions.

Are you at risk for periodontal disease?

There are several factors that increase the risk of developing periodontal disease:

How are periodontal diseases treated?

The first non-surgical step usually involves a special cleaning, called scaling and root planning. Scaling and root planning is a method of treating periodontal disease when pockets are greater than three millimeters. Scaling is used to remove plaque and tatar beneath the gum line. A local anesthetic may be given to reduce any discomfort. Using an instrument called a small scaler or an ultrasonic cleaner, plaque and tartar are carefully removed down to the bottom of each periodontal pocket. The tooth’s root surfaces are then smoothed or planed. This procedure helps gum tissue to heal and periodontal pockets to shrink. The procedure also makes it more difficult for plaque to accumulate along the root surfaces. Depending on the extent of the disease, Dr. Eckermann may recommend that one or more sections (quadrants) of the mouth be treated with scaling and root planning.

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