Periodontal Health Diagnosis and Treatments

Diagnosis

While following a good oral hygiene routine is essential to proper gum health, the only real way to know if you have gum disease is by seeing your hygienist for a periodontal examination, which is performed during your regular dental checks.
During a periodontal exam, your hygienist will probe your gum with an exam tool, which is done to measure the small space between your teeth and the gum line.
This pocket of empty space is known as a sulcus.

A healthy sulcus should measure no more than a few millimetres in-depth, and shouldn’t show any signs of bleeding when probed.
Deeper pockets typically indicate gingivitis, which is a mild inflammation of the gum line and is the earliest stage of periodontal disease.
There are three stages of periodontal disease.

• Gingivitis At the first stage of periodontal disease, the gums will be mildly irritated, tender, and they’ll bleed easily when probed. Fortunately, this stage of gum disease can be reversed by brushing and flossing, as well as a process is known as dental scaling, which is performed during a deep cleaning.
• Periodontitis When plaque is allowed to linger for too long on the surface of your teeth, it will eventually harden to form a substance called calculus, or tartar. As calculus continues to grow, the pockets between your teeth and gums will also grow deeper, which will promote the growth of harmful bacteria. Periodontitis leads to highly inflamed gums that bleed often when brushing or flossing and may include moderate bone loss.
• Advanced Periodontitis Over time, if periodontitis isn’t treated, it will begin to cause irreversible damage to the gums and underlying bone tissue. The bacteria trapped in the pockets between teeth will eventually cause teeth to become loose and fall out. It’s important to catch gum disease before it has a chance to progress!

Treating Periodontal Disease

The only way to treat periodontal disease is by seeing your dentist or hygienist for regular dental examinations. During your regular check-ups, they will evaluate the health of your gums and will inform you of the best course of treatment if applicable.

This is precisely why it’s crucial to see your dentist before it’s too late!

To avoid the progression of gingivitis into more serious conditions, gum disease needs to be treated as early as possible by dental scaling, which works to remove any caked-on plaque and tartar from the surface of your teeth.
These deep cleanings can be performed on individual sections of the mouth to clean above and below the gums (scaling), as well as smoothing out any irritation on the root surfaces on the teeth, known as planning.
Deep cleanings may leave your gums tender, however, the gum tissue and sulcus pockets will gradually heal over time.

For those with more severe instances of periodontal disease, a 3 month or more treatment plan may be prescribed. In some cases, medications such as antibiotics or medicated oral rinses may also be prescribed by your dentist.
In very severe cases, oral surgery may be required if scaling and planning do not improve the condition. You may also be referred to see a periodontist, who specializes in the treatment of the more advanced stages of the disease.

Preventing Periodontal Disease

After about 24 hours, plaque will start to turn into calculus on the surface of your teeth.

This is exactly why following a good oral health regimen is essential to keeping both your teeth and gums healthy. This includes brushing at least twice per day, flossing, and rinsing to control plaque and the formation of calculus.

During your regular visits to your dentist, they will check the health of your gums. If there are no signs of gingivitis, they will simply clean and polish your teeth to remove any tartar that may be starting to build up.
During a checkup, your appointment may also include x-rays, which are used to look for the early signs of tooth decay and bone loss. At the same time, your dentist will also check on any existing restoration work that you may have had done in the past.

In turn, they’ll be able to recommend the best course of treatment for you, which will typically include advising you on the best way to care for your teeth at home.
In the end, they’ll polish your teeth to remove any stains, and then you’ll be free to go on your way with a happy, healthy smile!

• Examination of diagnostic x-rays (radiographs): Used for detection of tooth decay, tumours, cysts, tooth positions, root position, and bone loss.
• Examination of existing restorations: Check current fillings, crowns, etc.
• Examination of tooth decay: Examine tooth decay by checking all the tooth surfaces.
• Oral hygiene recommendations: Review and recommend oral hygiene aids as needed. (Electric toothbrushes, special periodontal brushes, fluorides, rinses, etc.)
• Teeth polishing: Remove plaque and stains that are not usually removed during brushing and flossing

Healthy oral hygiene with a balanced diet and periodontal cleanings are recommended to keep the periodontal disease under control.