How Long Can You Retain Your Teeth with Periodontal Disease?

How Long Can You Retain Your Teeth with Periodontal Disease?

November 1, 2022

Approximately 70 percent of adults in the US are affected by some form of gum disease, alternatively called periodontal disease. Some people have inflamed gums, while others incur damage to the supporting structures of the tooth and the tissue. Periodontal disease results in tooth loss if left untreated over an extended period.

Maintaining excellent oral hygiene makes it comfortable to avoid other conditions associated with the mouth, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Therefore preventing or treating gum infections helps protect the teeth and gums for life.

Gingivitis and Periodontal Disease Symptoms

If you have healthy gums, they are pink and firm and do not bleed from brushing and flossing. However, your teeth constantly accumulate dental plaque containing bacteria but challenging to notice with the naked eye. Improper brushing and flossing result in plaque-related bacteria on the teeth, irritating and inflaming your gums. Periodontal disease starts at the gums to progressively affects the supporting tissues and bone.

Gingivitis occurs from the buildup of bacteria and is the earliest stage of periodontal disease. Gingivitis causes symptoms like persistent bad breath, redness and swelling in the gums, tooth sensitivity, painful chewing, and receding gums to make your teeth appear more prominent. Everyday activities like brushing and flossing make your teeth bleed with gingivitis. You can reverse gingivitis with everyday brushing and flossing, using an antiseptic mouthwash, and frequently getting teeth cleanings from the dental office Queen Creek.

Gingivitis is not considered a destructive form of periodontal disease. However, it can progress if left untreated by neglecting the preventive practices, making you will require professional deep teeth cleanings because the accumulated plaque hardens into tartar within 48 hours and is nonremovable by brushing and flossing. If tartar expands beneath the gum line, it causes receding gums. In addition, the infection moves to the underlying bone resulting in further damage.

The most advanced periodontal disease stage is periodontitis, which occurs after gingivitis remains untreated and the infection sets in. Periodontitis results in tooth loss, painful chewing, bleeding gums, further gum recession, and various other health problems. Eventually, your gums, connective tissues, and supporting bones of the teeth are broken down by periodontitis.

The signs of periodontitis are more severe than gingivitis. They might indicate shifting or loosening of the teeth, changes in your bite, pus between your teeth and gums, bleeding, and changes in partial denture fitting.

How Long Do Teeth Last with Periodontal Disease?

Gingivitis starts without providing warning signs and remains virtually unnoticeable. However, it manifests as gum inflammation and other painful symptoms. Stress is a major contributor to making you susceptible to periodontal disease because it is capable of suppressing your immune system. As a result, patients might experience widening pockets between the gums and teeth besides deterioration of the bone beneath. Although everyone is different advanced and untreated periodontitis eventually leads to tooth loss.

Tooth loss is merely one challenge of periodontal disease. The bacteria from this condition can enter your bloodstream from the gums to affect other body parts. An association exists between periodontitis and health conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer, and researchers are trying to determine the reasons for the association.

Risk Factors for Developing Periodontal Disease

The primary risk factor for developing periodontal disease is stress. The stress can result from physical issues like teeth grinding and clenching or emotional stress affecting the immune system of the body. Smoking or chewing tobacco is also another contributing factor to periodontal disease. Obesity, medication, cancer therapy, pregnancy, malnutrition, and, most importantly, poor oral hygiene are all risk factors for periodontal disease.

How to Reverse Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is entirely preventable by maintaining appropriate dental hygiene practices. Fortunately, people with early gingivitis can reverse this condition by maintaining excellent oral hygiene at home. Unfortunately, dental intervention becomes essential to maintain the condition if gingivitis progresses to periodontitis.

Treatments for periodontitis include periodontal treatment in Queen Creek, AZ, with follow-up at-home treatment. For example, the dentist might recommend scaling and root planing to eliminate tartar from beneath the gum line and smoothen the tooth roots to reattach to the teeth. In addition, scaling and root planing help remove bacterial deposits to allow the gums to heal. Depending on the severity of the damage, you might require multiple appointments with the dentist for this deep cleaning procedure. You must also set up more frequent dental visits to monitor and treat a recurrence of the disease.

Dentists can also provide prescription medications for relief to treat advanced periodontitis. Dentists also suggest surgical options like gum grafts and bone grafting if non-invasive therapies are unsuccessful. However, surgery cannot repair advanced periodontitis when tooth loss becomes inevitable, making patients seek restorative solutions with dental implants to restore their mouth functionality and smile.

If affected by advanced periodontitis, tooth loss becomes inevitable. Therefore the optimal option is to prevent mild gingivitis from progressing into periodontitis by seeking early treatments from Alexander Family Dental to safeguard your teeth and gums. Therefore if you need help with gum infections, seek remedies for the condition from this practice without delay.

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