How Is Periodontitis Treated
Posted on: 11 February 2018
Gum disease is one of the most common dental conditions. If gum disease is not treated and is allowed to progress, it can escalate into periodontitis. Periodontitis is when their is inflammation in both the gums and the pockets that surround the gums and the tooth. The infection can cause your gums to pull away from your tooth and may even spread to your blood stream. It is best to treat gum disease in its early stages. But if you just found out you have pariodontitis, you may be wondering if and how it can be treated. Here are the three treatments that can be used to treat this form of severe gum disease.
Scaling
If you are in the early stages of periodontitis, scaling may be done. Scaling involves scraping away tartar that is above the and below the gum line. This helps to remove the tartar that contains the bacteria and germs that can cause infections and cause the disease to spread.
Root Planing
If periodontitis is advanced, not only will scaling be needed, but root planing may be needed as well. As the infection spreads, it reaches more than just your gums. The bacteria can actually infection your tooth root as well. Root planing helps to remove the bacteria from the root of the tooth, which may help to save the tooth in the long run and help to prevent periodontitis from coming back.
Medications
If you are suffering from periodontitis, your dentist may provide you with medications or prescription mouthwashes. These medications are used to kill the bacteria that are causing gum disease and ward them off after scaling and root planing has been done.
Removing the Tooth
The last option for treating periodontitis is to remove the tooth. If the gum pockets surrounding the tooth and the gums has receded significantly, or if it is severely infected, removing the tooth may be the only way to remove all of the bacteria. This helps to keep the infection from spreading to other parts of the gums or to the bloodstream.
After periodontitis has been treated, you will likely want to consult with a cosmetic dentist. After dealing with periodontiitis, your gums may be receding and you may wish to have them corrected or you may need dental implants from having teeth pulled. A cosmetic dentist can meet with you after your periodontitis has been addressed and help you regain your smile.
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