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Jai Ganesh

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Pyorrhea (Periodontitis)

Pyorrhea (Periodontitis)

Gist

Pyorrhea, or periodontitis, is a severe, chronic bacterial infection of the gums that damages soft tissue and destroys the bone supporting the teeth, often causing tooth loss. Key symptoms include bleeding gums, persistent bad breath, receding gums, and loose teeth. It is primarily caused by untreated plaque buildup, leading to inflammation and infection.

Pyorrhea, also known as severe gum disease or periodontal disease, is primarily caused by poor oral hygiene leading to plaque and tartar buildup, which irritates the gums and allows bacteria to infect the supporting structures, resulting in inflammation, bone loss, and eventual tooth loosening. Contributing factors include smoking, genetics, certain medical conditions, hormonal changes, and injury to the gums. 

Summary

Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a set of inflammatory conditions affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth. In its early stage, called gingivitis, the gums become swollen and red and may bleed. It is considered the main cause of tooth loss for adults worldwide. In its more serious form, called periodontitis, the gums can pull away from the tooth, bone can be lost, and the teeth may loosen or fall out. Halitosis (bad breath) may also occur.

Periodontal disease typically arises from the development of plaque biofilm, which harbors harmful bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola. These bacteria infect the gum tissue surrounding the teeth, leading to inflammation and, if left untreated, progressive damage to the teeth and gum tissue. Recent meta-analysis have shown that the composition of the oral microbiota and its response to periodontal disease differ between men and women. These differences are particularly notable in the advanced stages of periodontitis, suggesting that sex-specific factors may influence susceptibility and progression. Factors that increase the risk of disease include smoking, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and almost any autoimmune disease, family history, high levels of homocysteine in the blood and certain medications. Diagnosis is by inspecting the gum tissue around the teeth both visually and with a probe and X-rays looking for bone loss around the teeth.

Treatment involves good oral hygiene and regular professional teeth cleaning. Recommended oral hygiene include daily brushing and flossing. In certain cases antibiotics or dental surgery may be recommended. Clinical investigations demonstrate that quitting smoking and making dietary changes enhance periodontal health. Globally, 538 million people were estimated to be affected in 2015 and has been known to affect 10–15% of the population generally. In the United States, nearly half of those over the age of 30 are affected to some degree and about 70% of those over 65 have the condition. Males are affected more often than females.

Details

Contrary to what one might imagine, it is a widespread disease. widespread disease. In fact, 15% of the population suffers from a severe form of periodontitis and about 50% is affected in various ways, 15% of the population suffers from a severe form of periodontitis and about 50% are affected in various ways.. This is a problem that should not be underestimated, as it also has a strong impact on a person's overall health.

What is periodontitis?

Periodontitis, or periodontal disease, is a polymicrobial polymicrobial infection that affects the periodontium i.e., the tissues and tissues and structures that support the teeth: gums, bone and periodontal ligaments..

Periodontitis damages all periodontal tissues, but, depending on the level of infection, it has different degrees of severity, has different degrees of severity.

When not properly treated, periodontitis can progress from the first stage, which may correspond to gingivitis, to a may correspond to gingivitisto the most to the most severe stage of the disease, also called periodontitiswhich manifests itself with the loss of teeth. loss of the dental pieces more or less rapid.

Underestimated, but widespread, periodontal disease is a very serious pathology of the oral cavity.

Unfortunately, many patients tend to overlook the symptoms of periodontitis, many patients tend to overlook the symptoms of periodontitis and only visit the dentist in the acute phase of the disease. and only visit the dentist in the acute phase of the disease.

Symptoms of periodontal disease

Symptoms of periodontal disease should never be underestimated, as they always lead to worsening and chronic periodontal disease. lead to worsening and chronicity of the disease.

The main symptoms of periodontitis are:

* Bleeding gums
* Dental hypersensitivity to heat and cold
* Pain and hypersensitivity of the gums
* Flaccidity of the gums
* Feeling of having "longer" teeth
* Sensation of having teeth that move
* Sensation of teeth shifting position
* Halitosis

Neglecting even one of these symptoms can lead to the development of periodontitis. development of periodontitis and aggravation of periodontal disease.

In the presence of one or several symptoms, it is necessary to immediately contact a specialized dentist who, by means of an adequate analysis of the oral cavity, can correlate the signs detected with the possible pathology.

Causes

The main causes of periodontitis are:

* Daily oral hygiene daily deficient or absent.
* The consequent accumulation of dental biofilm.
* Appearance of tartar.

Although subjective factors of various kinds, related to the condition and characteristics of the patient's organism, may also contribute, periodontal disease is mainly determined by the lack of proper care, both on a daily basisThe lack of proper periodontal care, both on a daily basis as well as periodic visits to the dentist.

Treatment

When gingivitis progresses to periodontitis, treatment becomes much more complicated. Only the dentist and hygienist can provide periodontal treatment, which requires special dental procedures and may require oral surgery.which requires special dental procedures and may require oral surgery. If the dentist concludes that periodontitis is present, treatment will depend on the severity of the infection. Options include, but are not limited to, the following:

* Scaling and root planing: In this two-step procedure to treat periodontitis, the dentist will scrapes tartar buildup from the teeth above and below the gum line (scaling). (scaling). Next, the dental specialist polishes away the roughness of the tooth roots, which reduces the accumulation of bacteria and therefore plaque and tartar.
* Flap surgery : If gum inflammation and pockets near the teeth persist after a deep cleaning procedure, your dentist may recommend flap surgery. Flap surgery, a common procedure to treat periodontitis, is performed by a specialist called a periodontist. During flap surgery tartar is removed from the pockets along the teeth. The pockets are then sutured so that the gum tissues can reattach to the teeth.. The reduction of the pockets makes brushing and flossing easier and more comfortable.
* Grafts Grafting: Severe cases of periodontitis may require bone or tissue grafts to replace the infected one, may require bone or tissue grafts to replace infected bone or tissue. The grafting may consist of a technique called "guided tissue regeneration"in which a small piece of membrane is inserted between the jawbone and the gum to allow the bone and tissue to regenerate. Guided tissue regeneration prevents the gum tissue from expanding in the area that the bone should occupy, so that the bone and tissue grafts have the space they need to grow.

Prevention

From infancy, it is possible to prevent periodontitis: It is possible to prevent periodontitis, counteract the appearance of its main symptoms and avoid an inflammatory process that can degenerate into an acute bacterial infection with a few simple measures:

* Attend regular and continuous professional hygiene sessions. professional hygiene with a specialized professional.
* After every meal, practice proper daily dental hygiene at home. at home.
* Pay close attention to attention to the symptoms of periodontal of periodontal disease.

Contrary to popular belief, pyorrhea is a disease that can also affect children and adolescents. can also affect children and adolescents. It can also affect children and adolescents, with varying degrees of pathology and, if not effectively treated, can have aggressive recurrences in the course of development.

To prevent the appearance of the main symptoms of periodontal disease in children and adolescents, it is necessary to educate them from a very young age, after every meal, in a correct and regular daily oral hygiene and to submit them regularly to professional oral hygiene sessions in a dental clinic they trust.

Types of periodontitis

From the clinical point of view, depending on the symptoms and the aggressiveness of the pathology we can have:

* Chronic periodontitis

Chronic periodontitis is the most common form of periodontal disease, and occurs much more frequently in people over the age of 45.and occurs much more frequently in people over 45 years of age. This chronic disease is characterized by inflammation of the gums inflammation of the gums and progressive destruction of gum and bone tissue. It may appear as if the teeth are lengthening, but in reality the gums are gradually receding.

Chronic periodontitis causes an inflammatory reaction of the tissues that support the tooth.. It causes loss of attachment and bone resorption and is classified as an infectious disease. It is most commonly diagnosed in adults, although children and adolescents can also develop it.. To evaluate its severity, we look at the percentage of affected foci (especially visible due to hemorrhage): if 30% or more are affected, it is said to be generalized and if 30% or less of the foci are affected, it is localized.

* Ulcerative-necrotic periodontitis

Ulcerative-necrotic periodontitis is a very severe form, characterized by the presence of true ulcers at the gum level very severe form, characterized by the presence of true ulcers at the gum level, with necrosis of the entire supporting apparatus of the tooth. Although rare, it occurs in young adulthood, with a higher incidence in developing countries, with risk factors such as malnutrition, lack of oral hygiene, immune depression and chronic systemic diseases.. Along with the typical symptoms, fever, enlarged cervical lymph nodes and general malaise may also occur.

Aggressive periodontitis

Aggressive periodontitis is a rare form of rare form of periodontitis which mainly affects children or the elderly; It is characterized by a fairly rapid and extensive destructive process, especially affecting incisors and molars.It is characterized by a rather rapid and extensive destructive process, especially affecting the incisors and molars.

Additional Information

Have you ever experienced how suddenly and without prior pain a tooth moves or even falls out? You may be suffering from periodontitis or gum disease without knowing it. If you want to know what it consists of and how to prevent and treat it, keep reading.

Currently, the term “pyorrhea” is obsolete in dentistry, but perhaps many of you have heard it over the years. The word “pyorrhea” is still commonly used to refer to gum disease, although the term we currently use in dentistry to refer to it is “periodontitis.”

Pyorrhea or periodontitis is an infectious disease and the main cause of tooth loss along with cavities. Its great danger lies in the fact that it is a disease that does not cause excessive pain or too severe discomfort, so it often goes unnoticed or is easily normalized.

It is a chronic inflammatory condition of the tissue surrounding our teeth, resulting in progressive destruction of the periodontal ligament and the alveolar bone that supports our teeth.

The main difference from gingivitis is that gingivitis involves inflammation of the gums but does not involve bone destruction, whereas periodontitis or pyorrhea does involve bone destruction.

When periodontal pockets form, which are an accumulation of bacteria below the gum line, their action causes damage to dental structures, leading to the deterioration of the bone supporting our teeth.

Why does periodontitis occur?

As we mentioned, being an infectious disease, the main cause of its appearance is the accumulation of bacterial plaque due to poor oral hygiene. If we do not correctly remove this plaque, we will cause inflammation of our gums in the short term and hardening over time, adhering to our teeth and forming what we call tartar (calculus), which once attached to the tooth, we will not be able to remove it with conventional brushing and will require professional dental hygiene.

How can we know if we have periodontitis?

To detect if we are suffering from periodontitis, the most common symptoms are gum inflammation and a change in its color, becoming reddish or violet. Of course, another clear symptom is bleeding gums when brushing, bad breath, discomfort when chewing, or noticing that some teeth are loose.

Sometimes spaces between the teeth may also appear, and in some cases, abscesses or overgrowth in the gums. But undoubtedly, bleeding is the first warning sign. Bleeding gums do not directly mean that we have pyorrhea; it could be gingivitis. However, it will serve as an alert for us to immediately consult our specialist for a correct diagnosis and intervention before the disease progresses to a more severe stage.

What are the risk factors?

Any of us can suffer from periodontitis if we do not take proper care of ourselves, but there are certain risk factors that can accelerate the disease or simply increase the risk of suffering from it.

Chronic gingivitis, smoking, hormonal changes in women such as pregnancy or menopause, old age, substance abuse, lack of vitamin C, or diseases that weaken our defenses (diabetes, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, leukemia, HIV, oncological treatments). In these cases, prevention should be even more thorough to avoid future complications.

Periodontitis Treatment

As we have already mentioned, the main cause of periodontitis is poor oral hygiene, so the key to stopping the appearance or progression of the disease will undoubtedly be to have proper oral hygiene.

Periodontal disease can lead to serious consequences for our health, so it is important to detect it as soon as possible to be able to treat it and prevent it from becoming chronic.

The first step is to establish a clear diagnosis elaborated by a professional, to assess what our best options are and find a solution adapted to our needs.

* Once diagnosed, we can make a prognosis for our teeth and

* realize a treatment plan tailored to our needs. It usually starts with deep dental hygiene to remove calculus adhered to our teeth and below the gums.

And from there, the key factor will be to correct our poor hygiene habits as soon as possible and maintain proper maintenance by our specialist, attending regular check-ups as recommended. We will have to learn to correctly use our toothbrush, use dental floss and interdental brushes to complete our daily hygiene, and visit our dentist regularly to take care of the residues we cannot reach.

We must bear in mind that periodontitis is a chronic disease, so once diagnosed, maintenance visits for professional hygiene should be regular to halt its progression. A professional cleaning every 3, 4, or 6 months is recommended depending on each patient’s needs.

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