The chances of one being cured of periodontal disease and having its effects reversed ultimately depend on what stage the disease is currently in. At Ford Dental Group, periodontal health is one of our priorities.
If it still is in its early stages, following a more thorough oral hygiene routine and visiting our dentist more often for professional cleanings can help cure gum disease and reverse its effects. However, if one has allowed the disease to progress in its later stages, not only are the effects irreversible, it may also be impossible to cure it anymore.
The worst case here is that if you allow periodontal disease to progress, you’ll have to follow strict periodontal maintenance involving professional checkups and cleanings every three months, as well as the close monitoring of the affected teeth to prevent the disease from reoccurring.
Understanding What Gum Disease Is
Gum disease is an inflammation of the gums that may progress to the point that it will affect the bones surrounding and supporting your very teeth.
To better understand what gum disease is, it’s important that you know its three different stages, namely:
Gingivitis
The earliest stage of gum disease manifests as an inflammation of the gums. This is the result of plaque buildup. If left unchecked, the plaque can produce toxins that can irritate the gum tissue, leading to the gums becoming red and inflamed. If you notice some bleeding whenever you brush or floss your teeth, chances are, you may already be suffering from gingivitis. However, the good news is that gum disease in this early stage is still reversible, especially since the bacteria that causes gum disease has yet to affect the bone and its connective tissues.
Periodontitis
If left to progress to this stage, there’s already irreversible damage to the supporting bone and fibers that hold the teeth in place. If left to progress even further, pockets may begin to form below the gum line, which can promote the growth of bacteria by trapping food and plaque inside. At this point, your only hope is to prevent further damage by following an improved oral hygiene routine and visiting the dentist much more regularly.
Advanced Periodontitis
This is the last stage of periodontitis and at this point, the teeth are already prone to shifting or becoming loose. This is because the fibers and bone supporting teeth have already been destroyed. The dentist will have to resort to aggressive treatment to save the teeth, but even that won’t be enough. If that’s the case, the dentist will then have to remove the teeth.
How To Know If You Have Gum Disease
Aside from the inflamed and bright red gums, you’ll want to watch out for these additional symptoms of gum disease:
- Receding gums, and longer-looking teeth as a result
- Pockets forming in your gums, with the gums separating or pulling away from the teeth
- Unexplained pus coming from your mouth, namely in between your gums and teeth
- Halitosis (Bad Breath)
While it is quite unfortunate that it is not possible to cure gum disease, nor reverse its effects once allowed to progress, you can be happy to know that it is possible to prevent it.
Scheduling regular checkups and following strict, oral hygiene at home are two of the best things that you can do to prevent gum disease, as well as reverse its effects in its early stages.
During each cleaning, we examine a plaque sample to determine the quantity and quality of oral bacteria to help determine your risk for periodontal disease.
