Gum (periodontal) disease is an infection of the gums and can affect the bone structure that supports your teeth. In severe cases, it can make your teeth fall out.
If you have periodontitis, your teeth start moving in the mouth, making tooth loss a reality. However, if you receive gum disease treatment early, you can preserve your natural teeth and prevent the need to search for replacement options.
Advanced periodontitis is the fifth and final stage of gum disease, and it is likely that you will lose teeth or at least loosen teeth during this phase without immediate dental intervention. The infection impacts the jawbone, so teeth may be lost regardless.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In its more serious form, called periodontitis, the gums can pull away from the tooth, bone can be lost, and the teeth may loosen or even fall out. Periodontal disease is mostly seen in adults. Periodontal disease and tooth decay are the two biggest threats to dental health.
The key to managing and living with periodontal disease is to ensure your teeth are kept clean and reduce gum irritation. Besides an increase in cleanings, there are also specialized cleaning methods used, depending on the extent of damage.
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.
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.
Fortunately, most people considering implants will still qualify for the procedure even if they have periodontal disease, as long as that disease is being treated successfully. However, it may be necessary to delay the dental implant placement until the periodontal disease is under control.
Once you have an implant, your risk of developing gum disease does not disappear.
If you have advanced or severe gum disease, then you may be a candidate for periodontal surgery. It's important to note: We must treat the gum infection first, and you must maintain preventative care for long-lasting and healthy gums.
The good news is, individuals who live with any stage of gum disease can almost always qualify for dental implants after undergoing certain treatments and procedures. Patients who live with mild to moderate cases of gum disease may simply have to bring the disease under control.
Can I Still Get All-On-Four After Gum Disease? Patients who have had gum disease are often still good candidates for All-On-Four. If the underlying jawbone remains intact, or if any affected areas have been effectively treated, you can still enjoy the benefits of permanent dentures, even after gum disease.
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.
Advanced gum disease, also called periodontitis, automatically disqualifies you from getting dental crowns. However, if you are at an early stage of gum infection, you can receive treatment for your gums and still get dental crowns.
Treatment and Maintenance
If the damage is excessive, you might need surgical procedures to restore bone and tissue structure. After diagnosis and the initial corrective measures needed to correct damage from periodontal disease, your dentist will require maintenance every three months.
If you end up with periodontal disease, it's not the end of the world or the end of your oral health. It just means you may need to take some time to care for your mouth and get it healthy again. Now, go floss. To learn more about periodontal and gum disease, visit our page The Complete Guide to Periodontal Disease.
Once your periodontal treatment has been completed, your dentist and dental hygienist will recommend that you have regular maintenance cleanings (periodontal cleanings), usually four times a year.
Periodontal treatment is very important. It does prevent tooth loss, which can be caused by periodontitis.
Foods such as pickled vegetables, citrus fruits, black coffee, and tea can enhance inflammation, aggravate your condition, and slow down the effects of treatment.
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.