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is a Hygienist?
Dental Hygiene FAQ
Do I have gum disease?
Stages of gum disease
How to keep your
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What
are the important
things I need to know
about dental health?
Healthy
teeth and gums
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Do
I have gum disease?
- Do your gums bleed
when you brush your teeth?
- Do you ever have pain
in your mouth?
- Are you gums red,
swollen and tender?
- Do you have bad
breath?
- Do you have gums that
have pulled away (receded) from the teeth?
- Have you noticed pus
between your teeth and gums?
- Are your permanent
teeth loose or separating?
If you answered yes to
any of these questions you may have a serious infection called
“Periodontal Disease” that if left untreated can lead to tooth loss.
 What is “Periodontal
Disease”?
Periodontal (pear ee oh
don tal) comes from the Greek words that mean “around the tooth”.
Periodontal disease is a slowly progressing chronic inflammation of the
gum and the structures that hold the teeth in (bone, periodontal
ligament etc).
Periodontal disease is
made up of two main types:
-
Gingivitis: which is
an inflammation of the gums (gingiva=gum itis=inflammation).
Your gums become red, inflamed and tender and can bleed when
you brush your teeth. It does not include any loss of the
structures that hold the teeth in place.
-
Periodontitis: if
gingivitis is neglected the inflammation progress may extend deeper
into the tissue causing the gum to separate from the teeth,
resulting in the formation of a pocket (which act as breeding
grounds for bacteria and will eventually fill with pus. The
inflammation will extend into the bone surrounding the teeth, which
may become loose, drift out of position and will eventually be lost.
The terminal stage of this disease used to be referred to as
“pyorrhea” where teeth became loose, surrounded by pus then
eventually fell out.
Remember: An advanced
state of periodontal disease can be reached without having any pain or
discomfort at all.
More information:
How
to keep your teeth for life
Periodontal
disease: types and causes
Treatment
options
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