Bacteria in your mouth mixed with food particles and acid create a translucent film around your teeth called plaque. If plaque is left to develop, it can cause tooth decay, leading to dental complications.
If you practice good oral hygiene by brushing once in the morning and once in the evening, flossing daily, and doing professional cleanings every six months, you can get rid of plaque.
Gingivitis vs. periodontitis, what is it, and how do you treat it? If tooth decay is left untreated, it can morph into gingivitis, the mildest form of periodontal disease. On the other hand, periodontitis is an advanced form of gum disease that is hard to reverse.
Gingivitis
While gum disease is a mild form of periodontal disease and is easy to treat, it can progress into periodontitis, requiring more severe treatments that are not always successful and can result in tooth loss.
To avoid periodontal disease, you must avoid foods and drinks with high amounts of acid, carbohydrates, and sugar.
Soda, candy, and fast food are some of the main culprits contributing to tooth decay, and you are better off choosing more nutritious foods like carrots, almonds, and yogurt. In addition, staying healthy and practicing good oral hygiene will provide the best results.
Periodontitis
If your gums are tender or inflamed, there is a good chance that gingivitis has progressed into periodontitis. Symptoms can include:
- Inflamed or swollen gums
- Heavy bleeding, especially when brushing or eating
- Tooth mobility
These are the signs your body gives you to tell you something is wrong, and you should heed its call. By leaving your gingivitis untreated, it will advance, as plaque and tartar can thrive below the gum line, where they produce toxins that cause inflammation.
Inflammation causes the body to attack itself and destroys the tissues and bones in your mouth. This results in the gums receding from your teeth and creating pockets that cause home infections. If you do not treat these infections, you can lose your teeth.
Periodontitis is hard to treat, and you should always seek professional help to restore your mouth to its full glory.
Symptoms of Gingivitis VS. Periodontitis
Many people confuse gum disease and periodontitis, and while their symptoms can be similar, there are differences you need to know about:
Gingivitis
As mentioned above, the symptoms of gingivitis are:
- Bleeding gums
- Bright red or reddish-purple gums
- Tender gums but without any pain
- Sores in your mouth
- Swelling of the gums
- Gums giving off a shiny appearance
- Foul breath
Periodontitis
Symptoms of periodontitis may differ depending on what stage it is in but typically include:
- Heavy bleeding of the gums
- Bad breath
- Teeth that are changing their position
- Receding gums
- Red, tender, and swollen gums
- Plaque or tartar build-up on your teeth
- Pain when your teeth are under pressure
- Loss of teeth
- A bad taste in your mouth caused by an abscess
- Inflammation throughout your entire body
At AstaDent Clinic Turkey, we have highly skilled Dentists in the Dental treatments field. In addition to the experienced medical crew and the Clinic, which is equipped with advanced technologies. Click here to get an appointment for a free consultation.
What Causes Gingivitis and Periodontitis?
Causes of Gingivitis
There are multiple causes of gingivitis which include:
- Drugs like phenytoin, bismuth, and particular brands of birth control
- Infections and systemic diseasesSmoking
- Misaligned teeth
- Rough edges of fillings
- Braces, dentures, bridges, and crowns, as food particles, often get stuck to them.
- Poor dental hygiene
- Hormonal changes to your body, such as pregnancy
- Untreated diabetes
Causes of Periodontitis
All the causes that lead to gingivitis can also result in periodontitis. However, there are additional factors that you need to consider:
- Malnutrition, for example, a vitamin C deficiency
- Obesity
- Diseases that affect your immune system, like HIV or leukemia
- Genetics
Diagnosis
Diagnosis for Gingivitis
You must go for a dental exam to receive a gum disease diagnosis. Your trusted dentist will examine your mouth and look for red or swollen gums and plaque build-up on your gum line.
Your specialist will use a probe to measure the pockets in your gums and evaluate the stage of gingivitis. This will determine whether you need to go for extra testing.
To determine if your gum disease has spread to your bones, weakening their support, your dentist will take X-rays.
Read More: Gingivitis Types, Symptoms, Causes, And 4 Tips on How to Prevent
Diagnosis of Periodontitis
Your dentist can diagnose periodontitis during a routine dental exam. It will be simple for your dentist to detect this advanced stage of gum disease.
Periodontitis can be monitored over time to ensure that it does not worsen. That is why your dentist will insist on regular check-ups.
Just as with your gingivitis exam, your physician will use a probe to measure the pockets in your gums. The ideal size of these pockets is between 1-3 mm, which indicates good oral health.
This test can result in some discomfort or sensitivity in your gums but is usually painless. You must tell your dentist about your medical history to see any conditions that could pose risks or contribute to periodontitis.
Treatment
Treatment for Gingivitis
Treatment for gum disease doesn’t necessarily need to happen in a dental office; you can prevent and treat gingivitis with daily habits. Below is a list of methods that you can include in your life to prevent or treat gum disease:
- Brush once when waking up and again before bed daily
- Floss daily
- See your dentist once every six months
- Use an antibacterial mouthwash
- Have misaligned teeth corrected by an orthodontist
Treatments for Periodontitis
Depending on the stage your periodontitis has developed to, you might require the following treatments:
- Scaling
Scaling is a procedure where your dentist will use tools, lasers, or ultrasonic devices to remove the plaque build-up on your teeth and below the gum line.
- Root Planing
Root planing is when your dentist will smooth out the roots of your teeth, making your tooth less susceptible to plaque build-up.
If you are experiencing persistent gum infections that don’t respond to professional cleanings, your dentist will recommend antibiotics to clear it up. These antibiotics aren’t necessarily in pill form; they also come in mouthwash and gels.
What are Health Risks Associated with Gum Disease?
Some people think they can treat gum disease at home by brushing or flossing, but you should always consult your specialist as you might need an alternative treatment.
Leaving periodontal disease untreated could result in many other health risks. These risks include:
- Bone loss in your jaw
If periodontitis spreads to your jaw, it will eat away at the bone, destroying it over time. In addition, aggressive bacteria combine with white blood cells produced by chronic inflammation, damaging everything they encounter.
It will start with the connective gum tissue and then seep into the underlying jaw bone and ligaments.
- Infection
If you have chronic inflammation caused by gum disease, it allows millions of bacteria to join your bloodstream, carrying it to other parts of your body. This is disastrous as it opens up other body parts to infection, including your heart and lungs.
- Heart Disease
Most people do not know that oral and heart health is closely connected. For example, periodontitis has the potential to increase the risk of obtaining cardiovascular disease by 19%. This risk is 44% more likely in individuals older than 65.
At AstaDent Clinic Turkey, we have highly skilled Dentists in the Dental treatments field. In addition to the experienced medical crew and the Clinic, which is equipped with advanced technologies. Click here to get an appointment for a free consultation.
When is Surgery Necessary?
Surgery will be required when inflammation occurs, and you cannot reach it with your toothbrush or flossing. As it’s most commonly known, flap surgery is when your dentist cleans the pockets under your gums.
Your surgeon will do this by lifting your gums away from your teeth to clean underneath them. Once clean, your dentist will stitch your gums back into their original position.
If your bones have deteriorated and there is bone loss, your surgeon might perform bone grafting simultaneously, which will regenerate the lost bone.
Conclusion
It would be best to always visit your trusted dentist for advice or treatment regarding gingivitis vs. periodontitis. Gum is a mild form of periodontal disease, and it can progress to a more severe stage of periodontitis if left untreated.
Symptoms are similar for both conditions, and if you experience inflamed, swollen, or tender gums, foul breath, and bleeding, you might have gum disease.
Periodontal disease can cause tooth mobility and even tooth loss if left to flourish. Treatment can include scaling and root planning, but you run less risk of suffering from this condition if you practice good oral hygiene. In addition, if inflammation occurs in the pockets of your gums, you might need to have flap surgery.
This procedure involves cutting the gums and lifting them away from your teeth so your dentist can clean them underneath. After clearing the area, your surgeon will stitch your gums back into their original position.
As gum disease can cause a world of damage, it is best to try and avoid it at all costs by brushing once in the morning and again before you go to bed. It would be best if you also flossed daily for the best results.
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