Unfortunately, because gum disease is caused by bacteria that is forming in your mouth daily, there is not a complete cure for the disease, only management with a combination of periodontal therapy and proper oral home care.
You can't cure it because once you lose structural support around your teeth, you don't usually get all of it back. However, periodontal treatment can reduce infection and rebuild your bone and tissue to some degree. Another factor is genetics. There are many different types of oral bacteria.
You can't cure periodontitis, but you can manage the condition with proper care and maintenance. This includes good oral hygiene and regular dental cleanings at intervals recommended by your dentist.
Since the infection has yet to spread to the bone or connective tissues holding the teeth in place, it's only at this stage where periodontal disease is reversible. Periodontitis is the second stage of gum disease. Once you reach this stage, the damage done to your gum tissue is irreversible.
Periodontal disease is not a life-threatening condition.
Is it too late for me to have treatment? 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.
While there is no cure for periodontitis, the disease can be controlled and reversed with proper treatment. In most cases, gum disease can be treated successfully with professional cleanings and at-home care. However, in some cases, surgery may be necessary to restore the health of your gums.
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.
Early to moderate periodontal disease can take about 2 to 3 weeks to heal. However, healing can only occur with the proper intervention such as scaling and root planing. For severe Periodontal disease, the recovery times do vary. For example, with the proper treatment, some patients can recover in 5 to 8 weeks.
Gum disease becomes irreversible in the second and third stages. To avoid either moderate periodontitis or advanced periodontitis, maintain good oral hygiene and visit the dentist regularly.
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.
Antibiotics. Topical or oral antibiotics can help control bacterial infection. Topical antibiotics can include antibiotic mouth rinses or putting gel containing an antibiotic into gum pockets. Sometimes oral antibiotics are needed to get of bacteria that cause infections.
Slight Periodontal Disease
During the early gingivitis stages, gum inflammation can occur in as little as five days. Within two to three weeks, the signs of generalized gingivitis become more noticeable. If you still leave this untreated, it would progress to slight periodontal disease.
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.
In cases of severe periodontal disease, the tooth is typically already loose, making it easy to pull it out. At times, as with wisdom teeth, the tooth cannot be pulled outright and must be sectioned first.
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.
Advanced Periodontal Disease: The final stage of periodontal disease is when the infection has evolved into disease-causing bacteria. It can cause redness, swollen gums that ooze pus, sensitivity, loosening of teeth, painful chewing, severe bad breath, and bone loss.
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. As we age, our gums naturally begin to recede.
The simple answer is, no. If your gums are damaged by, for example periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease, it's not possible for receding gums to grow back. However, even though receding gums can't be reversed there are treatments that can help to stop the problem from getting worse.
Periodontal disease causes tooth loss if not treated early, and advanced periodontitis can lead to a decline in chewing ability, word pronunciation, and aesthetic function.
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.
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.
In its early stage, called gingivitis, the gums can become swollen and red, and they may bleed. 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.
Stage 4: Progressive Periodontitis
This stage involves teeth looseness, shifting teeth, red, swollen and painful gums, often forming an abscess. The end result — eating and even smiling is hard and painful, and you may lose most of your teeth.
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.