What is Gum Diseases?

Gum disease is inflammation of the gums along the gum line. If this inflammation progresses, the bone surrounding and supporting the teeth is also affected.

Gum diseases do not heal on their own or with treatments such as antibiotics, mouthwash, and vitamins; It must be treated by a dentist. Early diagnosis will protect the health of the teeth as well as the gums. If these diseases are not treated, teeth may be lost. Since gum diseases do not usually cause any pain, they are one of the most common causes of tooth loss in our age.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF GUM DISEASES?

• Brushing or flossing Gums that bleed easily during cleaning

• Swollen, red or tender gums

• Gums that have receded or moved away from the teeth

• Persistent bad breath or bad taste in the mouth

• Loose teeth

• A difference in the alignment of the teeth

• A difference in the fit of the partial denture in the mouth

• Visible inflammation around the teeth and gums

• A sharp pain while chewing food

• Teeth that are extremely sensitive to cold or heat

Bacterial plaque, a common enemy of teeth and gums, is a sticky and colorless layer of microbes that accumulates on teeth and causes tooth decay and gum diseases. Factors such as crooked teeth, cavities, poorly made fillings and dentures, mouth breathing and dry mouth; It increases the accumulation of microbial dental plaque.

Bacterial plaque combines with the sugar in the food we eat to form a type of acid. This acid weakens tooth enamel over time and causes tooth decay. Bacterial plaque is soft and can be easily cleaned by the patient. If it is not cleaned and accumulates, it hardens under the influence of calcium and phosphate ions from saliva and forms dental stones. Dental tartar can only be removed from tooth surfaces by a physician. Dental tartar causes bacterial plaque, which is the main cause of gum disease, to accumulate more easily on the teeth. Therefore, dental stones Having it cleaned is not harmful. The progression of gum disease should be prevented by professional cleaning.

FACTORS CAUSING GUM DISEASE

Smoking: In addition to its known general harms, smoking also increases the risk of periodontal disease. It has been reported that smokers have more tartar formation compared to non-smokers, smokers have deeper pockets and have more loss of bone and tooth-supporting tissues.

Adolescence, Pregnancy and Menopause: This Due to changes in hormones during special periods, gingival tissue, like many other tissues in the body, is affected, and in this case, the tissues' response to microorganisms is greater. Therefore, it is of great importance to pay extra attention to daily tooth brushing and flossing in order to keep bacterial plaque under control during these periods.

Diabetes: Dryness, burning and taste in the mouth of uncontrolled diabetics. Loss may occur in the sensory organ, tongue papillae. In addition, when blood sugar increases in diabetics, the amount of glucose in the gum grooves doubles. Thus, as glucose increases in the salivary glands and gums in the mouth, the bacterial flora living in the mouth is also negatively affected. Additionally, patients with diabetes have a high risk of developing infection. For this reason, periodontal diseases can develop more easily in diabetics and cause more severe destruction. Oral care in diabetics should be more than it should be under normal conditions. Diabetic patients should pay attention to their oral and dental care as well as be under regular dentist control.

Drugs: Some drugs have negative effects on oral health by causing special changes in the gums and affecting other tissues in the mouth. They show effect. These; Birth control pills, antidepressants, some blood pressure and heart medications, immune system suppressing drugs, drugs used in the treatment of epilepsy, some drugs in spray form containing cortisone used in the treatment of asthma.

Stress: Studies have shown that it is also a risk factor for periodontal disease. Studies show that stress makes it harder to fight infections. It has been shown that it causes inflammation and increases susceptibility to periodontal disease.

Inadequate nutrition:Inadequate and malnutrition negatively affects the body's immune system, making it difficult to fight infections. Periodontal diseases are also serious infections, and the severity of gingivitis may increase in case of malnutrition.

   Such infections not only affect the inside of the mouth, but also affect the general health of the individual as bacteria enter the bloodstream. Recent studies have shown that individuals with gingivitis have an increased risk of developing some systemic diseases. As a result of these studies; Gingivitis has been found to be associated with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, some respiratory system diseases, low birth weight in babies and the risk of premature birth. Research conducted in recent years; It reveals that there is a direct relationship between the decay in your teeth and the health of your gums and your risk of having a heart attack or even, if we go further, a stroke.

  Oral health is also very important in children with congenital heart disease and adults with heart valve disease. . When bacteria formed in rotten teeth and diseased gums mix with the blood during treatments and then settle in the problematic area of ​​the heart, which is already an area prone to infection, and multiply there, it is called 'Infective endocarditis'. This condition leads to infection of the tissue lining the inner surface of the heart. For this reason, individuals with this risk need to pay more attention to teeth and gum care than other people.

   Gum diseases can also cause chewing disorders and weight gain. Our patients, who have lost many of their teeth as a result of deterioration in their oral and dental health, are no longer able to chew adequately. In cases where there is no adequate chewing function, the digestion process that should start in the mouth is incomplete and the food is sent to the stomach without being digested. Foods that enter the system without being digested are tried to be processed by the stomach and other digestive organs, consuming much more energy. Thus, the heart and circulatory system have to exert much more effort. Many times again As a result of this habit, the cardiovascular system needs to store nutrients and create additional energy stores. As a result of healthy teeth and gums, the digestive system that starts in the mouth keeps your general body health and weight balanced. Therefore, teeth and oral tissues should be considered as an integral part of the body, and it should not be forgotten that health and disease conditions have their effects on the whole body.

   Periodontal diseases are diseases that can be largely prevented and controlled. The most important step in preventing gum disease is proper tooth brushing at least twice a day, flossing at least once, and regular dentist visits every six months. In the early stages of gum disease, plaque and tartar are removed from the gum pocket by using special tools.

   After periodontal treatment, patients should be examined regularly by the dentist, plaque control and new tartar accumulations should be removed from the environment. But it should not be forgotten that; No action taken to maintain what has been achieved with periodontal treatment can be more beneficial than effectively implementing daily oral care procedures. If dental scaling is done too frequently, it means your oral hygiene is not good. Staying away from oral hygiene practices with the mentality of "my dentist will clean it anyway" will lead to tartar accumulation after each procedure. The important thing is not to have the tartar cleaned, but to keep the teeth clean. Regular and correct brushing prevents tartar formation. It is definitely not recommended to clean the teeth frequently as a good brushing is not done.

  Sometimes, in mouths with excessive tartar, large gaps can be felt after cleaning or the exposed root surfaces may cause sensitivity; In such cases, patients tend to falsely believe that cleaning harms them. However, such cases occur due to delay in treatment. Remember that scaling is not a cosmetic job, but a form of treatment. Failure to clean the tartar can lead to gum disease, gum recession, bad breath, and damage to the teeth in the long run. It causes them to shake from their tops and fall out.

 

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