Gingival diseases
Gingival diseases are diseases that affect the surrounding tissue of the tooth. If these diseases are not diagnosed and treated in its early stages, it will extend to periodontal tissue causing destruction of the tissue and bone loss which leads to formation of periodontal pockets and teeth mobility. The more the treatment is deferred, the more the destruction and more difficult the treatment will be which may lead to tooth loss.

What are the causes of gingival & periodontal diseases?

Plaque is the main cause of gingival and periodontal diseases. Plaque is soft deposits that adhere to the tooth surface or other hard surfaces in the oral cavity, including removable and fixed restorations and is composed mainly of bacteria that cause gingival diseases and teeth caries.
   

Plaque start to form on the teeth through a thin biofilm after minutes of using toothbrush, after few hours bacteria start to attach to this biofilm, multiply and grow.
Using toothbrush and floss twice daily will prevent plaque growth and maturation and keep the gingiva and teeth healthy. (See the link: what happen if you did not clean your teeth?)

There are some diseases that decrease the immunity and aggravate the gingival inflammation to bacteria (e.g. Diabetes). In these cases, the response of the patient to periodontal treatment is influenced by controlling the medical condition.

Smoking decreases the blood flow in the gingiva and immunity causing more destruction of the periodontal tissue and bone and decreases the response to therapy.

There are some medical diseases that cause periodontal destruction without presence of plaque. To know the cause of periodontal destruction in these cases, the periodontist should do proper investigations and arrangement with the physician to discover the cause and formulate a treatment plan to control it.

How I maintain healthy teeth and gingiva?

Use toothbrush and dental floss correctly  
Early treatment in case of any caries or gingival diseases  
Regular visits to the dentists: every 3-6 months to examine the teeth and gingiva. These regular visits to the dentist help in early diagnosis and treatment for any dental or periodontal diseases where treatment is easier and need fewer visits compared to treatment in late stages.
 

 

Last Update
10/23/2008 2:42:03 PM