Gum diseases (periodontology) include diseases of the soft and hard tissues surrounding the teeth, affecting both oral health and the general systemic health in which the oral environment interacts. Periodontal problems cover a wide range of areas, from simple gum inflammation (gingivitis) to severe infections (periodontitis) in which the jaw bones melt and teeth loosen and are lost. With periodontal diseases, the gums swell, turn red, bleed, and recede, and subsequently the teeth grow in length, move, space them out, and eventually the teeth may be lost. If left untreated, it increases the severity of patients' existing systemic disorders or paves the way for the formation of systemic disorders, causing secondary health problems and oral health problems to continue to increase in severity. In this sense, in addition to being the leading cause of tooth loss, recent studies have proven the negative effects of gum disease on diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, postmenopausal period and pregnancy. It is important to treat gum inflammation before it spreads to the bloodstream to prevent increased overall health risks. If you have complaints such as bleeding gums, sensitive and swollen gums, gum recession, teeth becoming mobile (moving) and bad breath, it is very important to create a treatment plan that will restore your oral health.
Gum disease. How can it be prevented, how can it be treated?
The most important cause of gingivitis and periodontitis is microbial dental plaque that accumulates on tooth surfaces, at the tooth-gum junction and between teeth. Therefore, the first stage of the treatment is to clean the plaque by the patient using a brush/dental floss/interdental brush and to remove the debris on it by the dentist with special tools. Gingivitis is reversible if detected and treated in time. In this sense, these stages, called initial treatment, are the basis of periodontal treatment. Local anesthesia is usually used to treat inflamed gums, enlarged gums, gaps (pockets) between the teeth and gums due to the melting of the jaw bones, and osteoporosis. Surgical procedures performed under the bone marrow, where new bone formation is targeted and auxiliary biomaterials (bone graft, membrane, enamel matrix proteins, etc.) are used, are called periodontal operations. Periodontal operations may concern the gums or any tissue surrounding the teeth. If the disease only concerns the gums, the enlarged gums are cut and removed from the oral environment. This procedure can be performed using classical surgical methods or laser. When the disease progresses to deep tissues and osteoporosis occurs, a different operation is performed. The gum is removed, inflamed tissues are cleaned, the bone is corrected or various biomaterials are used to create new bone. The gum is then placed and stitched to cover the bone, and the tissue is left to heal. The stitches are removed after 1 or 2 weeks. After the operation, physician control is required every 3-6 months. With the treatment, the inflammation is eliminated, the progression of the disease is stopped, and an environment is created where the patient can effectively clean himself, while the use of biomaterials is expected to restructure the tissues destroyed as a result of the disease. As a result of all this, the teeth are ensured to remain in the mouth to function for many years. The disease may also present as gingival recession, which causes aesthetic and sensitivity problems or makes it difficult for the patient to control plaque. In this case, gingival recession is treated by changing the position of the gum by adding a piece of tissue taken from the palate or a material used instead of soft tissue, if necessary.
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