Like any medical condition, treating gum disease is only necessary when prevention has failed. Preventing gum disease is as simple as practicing good oral hygiene every day and making sure to remove the plaque that forms on our teeth. Plaque is formed by anaerobic bacteria and will harden into tartar when not removed and thus create an impenetrable barrier between saliva and the harmful bacteria.
Saliva is very important to gum disease prevention because it neutralizes the anaerobic bacteria before it can cause any problems. However, saliva cannot penetrate behind tartar which is why a dental cleaning is recommended every six months. Once tartar forms, periodontal gum disease is already present or soon to follow. A teeth cleaning is actually a form of gum disease treatment and it is the least painful option where treating the condition is concerned. Once periodontal gum disease spreads below the gum line, other treatment options become necessary, such as:
- Regeneration
- Pocket Reduction Surgery
- Soft Tissue Graft
Regeneration is both a costly and potentially painful gum disease treatment option. As the name implies, the purpose of this procedure is to regenerate damaged bone and gingival tissue supporting the teeth. If regeneration is not performed, then the tissue will continue to degenerate to the point where teeth loosen and eventually fall out. When performing regeneration, a dentist or periodontist will perform a bone graft first. After this, the procedure will next involve tissue-generating treatments to stimulate growth. If this gum disease treatment is successful, the gingival tissue will be able to reattach to the bone.
The pocket reduction procedure is a form of gum disease treatment where the doctor first holds back the gums and injects an antimicrobial treatment to kill off the bacteria causing the condition. Generally, painful scraping will be required to eliminate the ossification (tartar) on the tooth or root. Root planing may be necessary if the root is damaged and uneven. The dentist will have to smooth off the surface of the root so that the gums can reattach to the supporting bone structure.
Another painful and expensive advanced gum disease treatment option is the soft tissue graft. A soft tissue graft is usually required when the periodontal gum disease has caused severe degeneration of gum tissue to the point that the roots of your teeth become exposed. Because these microbes literally cause gum disease, the bacteria are first killed and any tartar is removed from the root. Next, tissue is removed from other parts of the mouth such because the palate and then grafted over the exposed root.
In all honesty, you never want to treat gum disease once it gets below the gum line. While a teeth cleaning does not feel great, it is generally a lot less painful than having your roots scraped as is the case with advanced periodontal gum disease treatments. By practicing good oral hygiene, eating a balanced diet, and keeping well-hydrated, you can avoid treating gum disease and instead focus on prevention because problems are easier to avoid than they are to fix!
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