Periodontitis is an inflammation of the periodontium – a complex that includes a tooth, gum, bone and a ligament that holds them together (periodontium).
As a result of the action of various factors on the teeth plaque begins to form. If you do not clean it in a timely manner with a toothbrush, then it turns into hard tartar. Over time, dental the stone grows, pushing the gumsurrounding the tooth.
Tartar is 95% composed of microbes and their metabolic products. The immune system of the body comes to the rescue and begins the fight against infection of the oral cavity. However along with microbes, gum tissue also falls under destruction, abundantly impregnated with harmful microorganisms. Mercilessly destroyed by microbes, plaque, and even your own immune system the gum becomes smaller, exposing the neck and roots of the tooth.
Along with the gum, the circular ligament of the tooth is also destroyed, which fixes the teeth in a stationary state, allows you to withstand high chewing loads (when chewing, the load on the tooth can be 70-80 kg). When this ligament is damaged teeth lose stability, become loose.
The key point is the involvement of the alveolar processes of the jaws in the process of bone tissue. The bone also undergoes degenerative changes: it thickens, “settles”, and exposes the roots of the tooth.
Clinical manifestations of periodontitis:
The process begins with gingivitis – inflammation of the gum mucosa. When brushing your teeth, bleeding and soreness occur. The gums look swollen, reddened.
We try to spare the teeth when brushing, reduce the pressure on the brush, the time and frequency of brushing, the stiffness of the toothbrush, hoping for a quick healing in the mouth. However, we get the opposite effect: tartar and soft plaque grow even faster in the oral cavity, aggravating the course of periodontitis.
The next stage is the exposure of the neck of the tooth due to the “settlement” of the gums. The teeth become loose, gaps appear between them, the teeth “look” in different directions. This allows microbes and plaque to get even deeper into the periodontal tissue, which is accompanied by increased soreness, bleeding, involvement of bone tissue in the process and loosening of the teeth.
Factors affecting the development of periodontitis:
- overgrowth of dental plaque
- inadequate oral hygiene
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malnutrition (lack of vitamins and trace elements, especially B. C and group B)
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permanent injury during chewing (food in the interdental spaces, sharp edges of fillings, etc.)
- crowded teeth (crowding)
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malocclusion
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hormonal changes (pregnancy, diabetes, etc.)
- wearing braces
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lip and tongue piercing
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habit of biting lips and cheeks
- smoking
- change in the composition of saliva
Read more: How to treat periodontitis?
Prevention of periodontitis
It is important to pay sufficient attention to oral hygiene: brush your teeth properlyuse mouthwash, visit the dentist 1-2 times a year to sanitize the oral cavity and remove plaque.
It plays an important role in the prevention of any diseases of the oral cavity. ability to chew properly. You need to do this regularly, not allowing your teeth to be lazy. You need to chew on both sides. More often eat raw dense vegetables and fruits (apple, carrot, etc.).
The irrigator is very useful in the prevention of periodontitis. Including those people who have already been treated by a dentist for periodontitis.
Treatment of periodontitis
There are many methods for treating periodontitis. The main directions of treatment are: removal of plaque and calculus, resulting in a subsidence of the inflammatory process in the periodontium, strengthening the tooth in the jaw, for which splinting of the teeth and supportive treatment are carried out to prevent the formation of new tartar, vitamin therapy, in some cases antibiotics are used.
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