Are you suffering from gum disease? Gum disease also named periodontal disease is one of the foremost causes of tooth loss, and around 50% of adults at one point in their life suffer from the disease.
Well, there can be more than one reason why one gets the disease, but the most common one is plaque build-up on the teeth continuously.
The alarming thing about this periodontal disease is, one might know he/she is suffering from it. Yes, the early signs are always there, lies of receding gums, bleeding gums, foul taste, or lousy breath, but for more than one reason, one can ignore the signs and can think of the result of eating non-healthy.
Well if the disease is diagnosed early, and proper dental health is maintained, it can be warded off easily.
But what if you are persistently ignoring the signs? You can lose the tooth for sure, but how long does it take if the disease is left untreated to tooth loss? This is what we are going to discuss in this blog post, to help you learn the top reasons for the disease, as well as its treatment, and if left untreated how long it takes for tooth loss.
Visit Paragon Dental Centre if you are facing any issues with your teeth.
Symptoms of Periodontal Disease
Healthy gums never bleed on flossing and brushing. Healthy gums lead to healthy teeth, any form of tooth disease initiates from gums. When we eat, a thin film of plaque accumulates on our gums, which contains bacteria for sure.
When we skip flossing, as well as brushing for a good long time, this plaque build-up starts irritating the gums and progressively affects the supportive tooth bones and tissues.
Gingivitis is the early stage of periodontal disease. Its signs are red or swollen gums, tooth sensitivity, and gum recession. If you didn’t pay attention to these signs and symptoms and left it untreated, this leads to periodontal disease.
As I mentioned, Gingivitis is comparatively easier to treat, and its signs can easily be reversed with proper brushing and flossing. It’s gingivitis that leads to periodontal disease, with time the bacteria build-up due to plaque turning into tartar, and if this tarter builds up below the gum line, it leads to tooth separation and tooth loss.
Well, if there is a tartar build-up below the gum lines, only professional dental cleaning services can remove that plaque and helps get rid of the issue, and a professional’s attention will be required for it, for sure.
The next stage of Gingivitis is periodontal disease. If Gingivitis is left untreated, it turns into periodontal disease. It causes tooth loss, bleeding gums, tooth separation, and various other tooth-related issues, even other medical complications.
Compare to gingivitis, periodontal disease signs are more severe, and if left untreated for a few months, it surely can lead to tooth loss, changes the appearance of the tooth, as well as how teeth come together when biting.
But can we say specifically how long one can last with periodontal disease, let’s see?
How long can you keep your teeth with periodontal disease?
It all starts with bad teeth and oral hygiene. In starting it might not look as serious as it is, like skipping brushing or flossing might not result in gum disease. But with time, the plaque build-up for sure can lead to first Gingivitis and then periodontal disease.
If you already are suffering from periodontal, and the signs of tooth widening, bleeding, bad breath and taste changes are there, maybe this thing can further proceed and result in tooth loss if left untreated.
If you have passed that stage too, like the periodontal disease has taken down your teeth, this condition can further process and suppress the immune system. Within months you might see the destruction of the bone underneath, and can lose more tooth loss.
Loss of a tooth is just one complication, the damage-causing bacteria can enter your blood and can have various other health conditions and complications. There are links between periodontal disease and diabetes, coronary artery disease, respiratory disease, and many others.
What are some risk factors that double the damage with periodontal disease?
As I said, it all starts with skipping brushing and flossing, from taking down your tooth to can lead various other health conditions. Well, there are a few things that can increase the risk factors, and leads to double the damages.
Stress
If you are suffering from periodontal disease, and also suffer from stress or anxiety, this surely can be a tickling bomb for you. It not only weakens your overall body’s immune and defense system but leads to various other health conditions.
Smoking, tobacco
Smoking is one of the reasons why you develop gingivitis or your overall bad oral hygiene. If you are suffering from periodontal disease, and also chew tobacco or smoke cigarettes, it is surely more damaging and risk factor enhances.
Poor Oral Hygiene
For someone suffering from periodontal disease, and still not taking care of oral hygiene, it is a major risk factor, and more damaging.
Systematic disease
If you have diabetes, heart condition, or hypertension, this too can double the damage and is a major risk factor.
Cancer Therapy: Cancer therapy too is a major risk factor for someone suffering from gum disease, or periodontal disease.
Obesity
How to reverse Periodontal Disease
First and foremost important thing for you if you have Gingivitis or periodontal disease, start taking care of yourself. Don’t skip brushing, and eat things bad for your teeth’ health. If it’s milder signs or symptoms of gingivitis, you can reverse them by proper oral hygiene at home.
Yes, if the gingivitis does not go away, and has developed into periodontal disease, there you will have to take an appointment with your dentist or a dental health expert.
So if a dental health expert has intervened, what type of treatments he/she will be going for you? Well, it depends on your dental health conditions, the early treatments can start from initial care followed up at home, to scaling and root planning.
Scaling removes the tartar and plaque build-up below the gum lines and rooting involves smoothening over the root surfaces so that your gums could reattach to the teeth surface.
Well, scaling as well as rooting helps heal from gingivitis and periodontal disease, but just one appointment or session won’t be enough. It will require multiple sessions like that, depending on your disease condition.
In some conditions, surgery might be required. Like if you have advanced periodontal disease, you might need surgical pocket reduction or flap surgery to remove the tarter. It will require cleaning under the gums, and the surgeon will remove the tarter under the gums by lifting them up before suturing them.
Keep in mind if periodontal disease has led to tooth loss, here the dentist or health expert can’t do anything. Here you will have to go with dental implants or restoration surgery. Don’t worry, implants look as real as the original teeth, and with few cares, regular dental check-ups, and a proper diet you can live a normal life.