Gum Disease: Causes, Treatment & Recovery

At Lagniappe Dental, we place a strong emphasis on preventative dental care designed to achieve and maintain optimal oral health, helping our patients prevent health problems, such as gum disease, from occurring in the first place. Sometimes, however, gum disease can still develop as a result of lapsed oral hygiene, infrequent professional dental cleanings, or individual risk factors. In these cases, we are here to support you with various personalized gum disease treatments to help restore your oral health while supporting general health. 

What Is Gum Disease?

Also called periodontal disease, gum disease is a bacterial infection of the gum tissues surrounding the teeth. Along the gum line, where the gum tissues meet the surfaces of the teeth, natural pockets called gingival pockets form. These areas provide a perfect warm, dark, and moist habitat for harmful bacteria to thrive.

When periodontal disease develops, it causes local symptoms that can result in some oral pain and discomfort. Left unaddressed, symptoms worsen. Periodontal disease will become more painful and eventually lead to the degeneration of the periodontal ligaments and jawbone (structures that support the teeth), causing significant damage to oral anatomy. 

Gum Disease Causes and Risk Factors

Gum disease occurs when bacteria grow, proliferate, and build up inside the mouth. While the mouth naturally contains bacteria, poor oral hygiene can result in the development of periodontal disease. Failing to brush and floss properly or often enough allows sticky plaque, food debris, and harmful bacteria to accumulate on the surfaces of the teeth and along the gum line. Over time, plaque hardens into calculus (tartar), which slowly accumulates on the surfaces of the teeth. This tartar traps bacteria and pushes the gums away from the teeth, increasing the size of the gingival pockets. 

Several additional risk factors can make you more likely to develop periodontal disease (even if you have good oral hygiene habits). These risk factors include:

• Hormonal changes associated with puberty, pregnancy, menstrual cycles, and menopause
• Systemic diseases, such as:
  
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Certain cancers
  • Diabetes
  • HIV
• Dehydration and reduced saliva flow
• Certain medications that cause dry mouth
• Tobacco use
• Family history of dental disease
• Exposure to the saliva of an individual with gum disease (kissing, sharing utensils, or sharing beverages)

If you have any of the risk factors associated with an increased risk of periodontal disease, be sure to let our dental care team know to ensure we are aware of your specific medical history. 

Signs and Symptoms of Gum Disease

The earliest forms of gum disease often cause no noticeable symptoms, and many patients don't realize they have an issue until they visit the dentist for a routine checkup. However, gum disease does cause several symptoms, many of which can be severe.

The most common signs and symptoms of periodontal disease include:

• Gum inflammation (red or swollen gum tissue)
• Gums that bleed easily when you brush or floss your teeth
• Tender or sore gum tissues
• Tooth sensitivity and pain
• Gum recession and deepening gingival pockets
• Persistent bad breath
• Push between the teeth
• Loose teeth
• Bite changes
• Tooth loss
• Dark spaces between the teeth (black triangles)

The presence of these signs and symptoms can indicate gum disease. Our dentist will evaluate your symptoms, examine your gum tissue, and measure your gingival pockets to diagnose periodontal disease. 

The Impact of Gum Disease on Your Health

Periodontal disease not only has a major impact on your oral health, but it is also closely connected to your general health. The bacteria from periodontal disease can enter the bloodstream, causing elevated levels of generalized inflammation throughout your body. As a result, periodontal disease can increase your risk of several systemic illnesses, including:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Certain types of cancer
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• Reproductive health problems
• Respiratory infections
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Maintaining your oral health to prevent gum disease is the best way to protect your oral and general health. 

Can Gum Disease Be Reversed? The Importance of Prevention and Early Detection

Whether or not gum disease can be reversed depends on the stage of gum disease with which you are diagnosed. Only the earliest stage of gum disease can be reversed, so whether or not it is curable or only manageable depends on how advanced the bacterial infection is. For this reason, prevention and early detection are key to avoiding gum disease and maintaining optimal oral health. 

Understanding the 4 Stages of Gum Disease

There are four basic gum disease stages, which include:

1. Gingivitis

The earliest stage of gum disease is characterized by red, swollen gums that might bleed easily with brushing or flossing. In this stage, the infection has not progressed beyond the superficial areas of the gingival pockets. Gingivitis can be reversed and completely cured when detected in this stage. 

2. Mild Periodontitis

With this stage, the infection has reached the areas beneath the gingival pockets, including the ligaments and bone structures. This stage of gum disease is characterized by gum recession and deepening gingival pockets filled with plaque and bacteria. 

3. Moderate Periodontitis

With moderate periodontitis, some degeneration of the periodontal ligaments and jawbones has already occurred. In this stage, patients begin experiencing worsening pain and might notice pus seeping out from the gum line. 

4. Advanced Periodontitis

In this advanced stage of gum disease, significant degeneration has occurred. Individuals with advanced periodontitis experience bite changes, loose teeth, and tooth loss. 

Periodontal Disease Treatment: Addressing and Managing Gingivitis and Periodontitis

Treatments for gum disease range from lifestyle changes and oral hygiene improvements to surgery. The recommended treatment for gum disease depends on the individual patient's circumstances and the stage of periodontal disease that has been diagnosed. The treatment that's right for you depends on several factors, such as the severity of your gum disease, the state of your general health and medical history, and whether or not you have already tried any particular treatments.

Your personalized treatment plan might include any combination of the following treatment approaches:

Oral Hygiene Adjustments and Lifestyle Changes

In mild cases of gingivitis, we recommend some improvements to your oral hygiene habits, routine, tools, and techniques. Our hygienist will counsel you on proper brushing and flossing techniques while also letting you know which areas inside your mouth need a little extra attention. We might also recommend you use a different toothpaste formulation, an electric toothbrush, and a water flosser to improve the impact of your brushing and flossing. 

A variety of lifestyle adjustments is also recommended. These are typically designed to improve your general health and strengthen your immune system. Lifestyle adjustments might include:

• Dietary recommendations
• Probiotics
• The cessation of tobacco use
• Reduced alcohol exposure (including mouthwash that contains alcohol)

More Frequent Dental Prophylaxis

In addition to oral hygiene improvements and lifestyle adjustments, more frequent professional dental cleanings might be recommended to keep the accumulation of tartar and plaque on your teeth at a minimum. 

Professional Deep Cleaning: Scaling and Root Planing

Patients with periodontal disease typically benefit from a deeper form of prophylaxis cleaning known as scaling and root planing. Administered with the use of local anesthetic, these techniques reach farther below the gum line to remove tartar while also smoothing the surfaces of the tooth roots. Creating a smoother surface reduces the areas where bacteria can survive, helping to manage gum disease. During these treatments, we sterilize the structures below the gum line and irrigate the tissues with an antibiotic rinse. 

Prescription Antibiotics (Rinses, Gels, or Pills)

Patients with periodontitis can also often benefit from the use of antibiotics to keep the harmful bacteria at bay. Most often, we prescribe a local antibiotic in the form of a rinse or a gel (applied with customized antibiotic trays). In some cases, a prescription oral antibiotic can also be helpful, but we try to minimize the use of these due to their generalized impact on the body's microbiome. 

Gum Disease Surgery

In the most advanced cases of periodontal disease where significant damage has occurred, patients might require a surgical approach to remove dead and diseased tissues in order to clear away the infection and create a healthy environment for restorative treatments. 

Several types of oral surgeries can address gum disease in different ways. These surgeries include:

• Flap Surgery - This surgery involves creating a small incision in the gum tissue. This allows the dentist to access deeper areas below the gum line to remove plaque and tartar while neutralizing bacteria. The flap of gum tissue is then put back in place and stitched to promote proper healing. 
• Soft Tissue Grafting - Gum tissue grafts might be placed in cases of severe gum recession. 
• Bone Grafting - When the jawbone has suffered significant degeneration, we might use bone grafts to help regenerate these oral structures. 

These surgeries might be accompanied by other regenerative therapies such as guided tissue regeneration, tissue-stimulating proteins, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) therapy, or platelet-rich protein (PRP) treatment. 

Restorative Dentistry for Revitalizing Damaged Smiles

We offer comprehensive restorative dental care designed to address damage caused by periodontal disease. Whether you have experienced tooth decay or tooth loss, we can work with you to restore your smile to its complete form and function while enhancing its aesthetic appearance. 

We're Here to Support Your Health: Comprehensive Gum Disease Treatment in Fairhope

If you have been diagnosed with gingivitis or periodontitis, our dentist will recommend a personalized approach to treatment designed to reverse gingivitis or manage your periodontitis, preventing the infection from progressing and significantly impacting your oral and general health. 

At Lagniappe Dental, Dr. David Bruce is here to support you, your oral health, and your overall wellness goals with a well-rounded approach to treating and managing gum disease. If you have been diagnosed with gum disease, do not dismay. We can work with you to provide a highly personalized treatment plan designed to optimize your total wellness and keep your periodontitis in check. To learn more about periodontal disease and the treatments available at our dental clinic in Fairhope, AL, we welcome you to contact our office and request an appointment today.