Periodontal (Gum) disease results from food and bacterial stagnation at the area where the tooth join the gingiva (gum) according to its severity it may be classified into two types:

 

A- GINGIVITIS (Inflamed Gum)

 

1) DEFINITION

A process in which the gum tissues enlarge (swell), become loose and form pockets around the teeth due to the presence of an irritant.

 

2) CAUSES

• There are many bacteria that live in your mouth. When you eat, some of the food is digested by these bacteria and they form a sticky colorless film that coats the surface of your teeth. This film is called dental plaque. If left un-cleaned, plaque will harden to form a hard white coating called calculus (tartar). Bacteria live in the calculus and secrete toxins and waste products that irritate, inflame and swell your gum and cause gingivitis.

• Some medical conditions may cause gingivitis as diabetes.

• Dry mouth as in elderly patients or due to some medications or psychological stress.

• Pregnant women develop gingivitis so commonly, caused by an increased level of the progesterone (Hormone of pregnancy), for that reason it is called “Pregnancy Gingivitis” which will fade after delivery.

• Smoking reduces your gum ability to heal and can lead to the development of gingivitis.

 

3) PREVENTION

• MIDC regimen for proper mouth cleaning.

• Visiting your dentist at least two times a year for professional cleanings and oral examinations.

 

4) TREATMENT

The detection and treatment of gingivitis is simple. You should have two to four regular dental checks up annually.

MIDC will remove All the soft and hard food deposits by using dental hand instrument and/or ultrasonic vibrating tools both are painless and require no injections; finally your teeth will be polished with a special rotary brushes and paste.

 

Don’t wait for pain; gingivitis is usually not painful

 

 

B- PERIODONTITIS (Inflamed Gum And Bone)

 

1) DEFINITION

A process where the gum tissues around the teeth get swollen and inflamed with damaged underlying bone.

 

2) DIFFERS THAN GINGIVITIS

With gingivitis there is no damage to the bone under the gums so Periodontitis is much more serious than gingivitis.

 

3) TYPES

>>>Slight Periodontitis:

Where the gingival inflammation progresses and starts to attack the deeper periodontal tissues (the tissues which attach the tooth to bone) and the bone surrounding the teeth with slight loss of bone. This result in 3-4mm depth pockets between the gum and the teeth
 

>>>Moderate Periodontitis:

Advanced stage of Slight Periodontitis with noticeable loss of bone and periodontal tissues resulting in increased pockets depth than 4mm and sometimes tooth mobility.

>>>Severe Periodontitis:

Further progression of periodontal tissues breakdown with major loss of bone support, increased tooth mobility and severe bad breath

 

4) PREVENTION

• MIDC regimen for proper mouth cleaning.

• Dental cleaning every three or four months.

• Root planning and scaling every two to three years.

 

5) TREATMENT

• The best prognosis for treatment is when it’s treated early.

• Antibiotic therapy should starts 48 hours before treatment.

• The first step in treating Periodontitis is to remove all the hardened food on the roots of the teeth by scaling and root planning allowing the gum tissues to shrink and heal.

• The next step is to evaluate the patient's situation again to determine the severity of the case.

• In cases with slight Periodontitis scaling and root planning will eliminate the source of the infection and the inflammation; so there is no further treatment.

• In moderate and severe cases periodontal surgery is needed to correct the shape and form of the gum and bone tissues.

 

 

 

MIDC SCALING AND ROOT PLANNING

 

It is a procedure where MIDC removes all of the irritants under your gums in an attempt to eliminate inflammation and infection.

 

Procedure:

1) Half of your mouth is anesthetized (numbed) so that the dentist can comfortably remove hardened food (calculus) from below the inflamed gums. He uses the hand scaling and/or the ultrasonic vibrating tools leaving a rough surface so planning is needed.

2) The dentist plans the roots of the teeth to make it smooth; this allows the gums to regenerate, shrink and become tight around the teeth without irritation.

3) After scaling and root planning is completed the gum tissue is allowed to heal and the result is pink, tight, healthy, non bleeding gums without any bad odor

4) The success of the procedure is then estimated by measuring the patient's pocket depth. The goal is to achieve a 1 to 3 millimeter thickness of gum tissue.

5) This treatment is not a cure; it should be repeated regularly every two years to continually remove irritants that accumulate over this period.

6) When the irritants are gone, the patient's gums shrink. This can cause exposure of tooth roots that were previously covered with inflamed gum tissue. The newly exposed roots are often sensitive to hot and cold. This sensitivity can usually be reduced or eliminated by some medications as fluoride gel, sensodyne mouth wash and brushing with sensodyne and Emoform tooth pastes.