Yes. Regardless of the stage of infection, you can stop the progression of gum disease. The initial phase is the easiest to manage as it only requires maintaining proper oral care and dental checkups. Further stages will require specialized treatment such as scaling and root planing.
At home, brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily will go a long way in preventing plaque buildup. Advanced gum disease, also called periodontal disease, cannot be reversed. However, our dentists are able to mitigate the damaging effects of periodontal disease through scaling and root planing.
Periodontitis can't be reversed, only slowed down, while gingivitis can be reversed. This is why it's important to catch it in its early stages and prevent it from moving on to periodontitis.
If you have mild gingivitis, it can take weeks or even months for it to turn into periodontitis. However, if you have severe gingivitis, it can progress into periodontitis in as little as a few days. This is why it is so important to see a dentist as soon as you notice any symptoms of gingivitis.
47.2% of adults aged 30 years and older have some form of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease increases with age, 70.1% of adults 65 years and older have periodontal disease.
The progression of periodontal disease is slow but steady. It only takes four days for plaque to reach its maximum extent, so you'll be able to physically see signs of gingivitis on day 5. Advanced stages of this disease can be seen in as little as a few weeks if you have not tried to reverse the gingivitis.
However, if you have gum disease, your gums can recede quite quickly. In some cases, they may even recede within a matter of weeks or months. Of course, the rate at which your gums recede also depends on your age.
With gum disease, you won't keep your teeth for long. In fact, unlike tooth decay which impacts your smile one tooth at a time, periodontitis can cause you to lose multiple, if not all, teeth at once. Gum disease starts small as a mild form called gingivitis.
It's never too late to seek treatment for gum disease, and the degree of treatment you require will depend on how advanced it is.
Periodontitis (per-e-o-don-TIE-tis), also called gum disease, is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue around teeth. Without treatment, periodontitis can destroy the bone that supports your teeth. This can cause teeth to loosen or lead to tooth loss. Periodontitis is common but can usually be prevented.
Foods such as pickled vegetables, citrus fruits, black coffee, and tea can enhance inflammation, aggravate your condition, and slow down the effects of treatment.
In most cases, the damage will not be completely reversible, but if you follow the treatment and prevention plan laid out by your dentist, you should be able to see significant improvement. Most people are able to reclaim a 4mm to 5mm pocket depth with proper treatment and ongoing periodontal maintenance.
But the condition may get even worse if left untreated. They may experience receding gums, loosening teeth, or tooth loss when it progresses into severe periodontal disease. If you wonder if you can live with this disease, the answer is yes.
It's important to see a dentist right away if you ever suspect something is wrong with your gums. Both gingivitis and periodontitis can happen faster than you think. If you ever feel like your gums are tender, look red or swollen, or you're noticing pink on your floss or toothbrush, give us a call as soon as you can.
Good prognosis: The prognosis is considered to be good when there is adequate amount of remaining bone support along with the periodontium, and the patient as well as the clinician has adequate possibilities to control etiologic factors and establish a maintainable dentition.
Will Removing Teeth Stop the Progression of Gum Disease? The short answer is “no.” Gum disease attacks the soft oral tissues of the mouth and bones that surround your tooth structures. Just because one or more of your teeth may no longer be present doesn't mean the infection doesn't exist.
It is a therapy that is sometimes only needed once in a lifetime or every few years depending on your initial level of infection and various risk factors. The periodontal maintenance cleaning is part of the soft tissue management program prescribed 3-4 times a year after scaling & root planing is completed.
And though periodontitis is common, it is preventable with the right oral hygiene and regular dental checkups. However, if you do develop periodontitis, it is treatable, and periodontal treatments can leave you with healthy gums, which means healthy teeth.
Typically, you will need to get periodontal cleanings every 3 months for the rest of your life to keep your gum disease under control, and as long as you get routine cleanings and maintain good oral hygiene, your condition won't get worse. However, you will never be fully healed.
Although it's preventable, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates at least 50% of Americans have the infection. It's also the leading cause of tooth loss. Don't worry, if you act quickly, gum disease can be cured without leaving a lasting mark on your smile.
Four stages of periodontal disease
Gingivitis: This is the only stage of the disease that is reversible as it hasn't attacked the bones yet. This is a result of plaque buildup around the teeth. Bleeding gums is one of the first symptoms you may experience.
Can gum disease spread through kissing? Periodontal disease isn't contagious through casual contact. Sharing saliva and bacteria, such as kissing, with someone who has gum disease can increase the likelihood of transmitting it to their partner.
The prevalence of periodontal (gum) disease continues to be an important public health problem in the United States as 2 in 5 adults are affected by some form of this disease.
Living with periodontal disease is a challenge because it causes aesthetic complications and severe bone loss in the mouth. Unlike other infections, periodontal diseases silently affect you, causing your gums to become inflamed and bleed. Periodontal disease is not a life-threatening condition.