Periodontal Diseases
Prevention is always better than treatment. Good oral hygiene habits will keep away most of the dental problems saying you from toothaches and costly dental treatments. The interesting part is that it can be achieved by dedicating only some minutes every day to dental hygiene care. A large number of various oral hygiene products, beyond the usual toothpaste and toothbrush, are available in the market to help you in this effort.
Awareness regarding the importance of oral hygiene has significantly increased in the developed countries, but contrary to that, the modern dietary lifestyle habits are posing a greater risk for oral health. Healthy teeth not only enable you to look and feel good, they make it possible to eat and speak properly. Good oral health is important to your overall well-being. Daily preventive oral care, with proper brushing and flossing, will help stop dental problems before they develop and are much less painful, expensive and worrisome than treating conditions that have been allowed to progress.
Poor dental hygine causes tooth decay n periodontal diseases. Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects periodontium; Periodontium refers to the tissues that both srround and support the teeth (gums n bone) (literally : around the tooth).
Many factors affect the periodontium but plaque (the sticky, colourless film that constantly forms on your teeth) induced inflammatory lesions are the major cause of periodontal diseases. Periodontal diseases have been classified under to categories:-
- Gingivitis
- Periodontitis
In some individuals gingivitis may not progress but according to data it always precedes periodontitis. Periodontal diseases if left untreated lead to tooth loss and can affect one or many teeth.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal disease. It cause the gums to become red, swollen, and bleed easily. There is usually little or no discomfort at this stage. Gingivitis is often caused by inadequate oral hygiene. Gingivitis is reversible with professional treatment and good oral home care.
Periodontitis
Untreated gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. With time, plaque can spread and grow below the gum line. Toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque irritate the gums. The toxins stimulate a chronic inflammatory response in which the body in essence turns on itself, and the tissues and bone that support the teeth are broken down and destroyed. Gums separate from the teeth, forming pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums) that become infected. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Often, this destructive process has very mild symptoms. Eventually, teeth can become loose and may have to be removed.
When the gums pull away from the teeth, it creates a pocket which allows food and debris to accumulate inside the pocket, harboring even more bacteria to enter the bloodstream. It provides a path for bacteria to enter the blood stream and studies have shown that heart disease is almost twice as high in people with gum disease. Studies have also shown that the most common strain of bacteria found in dental plaque may cause blood clots. When blood clots escape into the bloodstream, there is a relation to increased risk of heart attacks, and other heart illnesses.
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