How is periodontitis treated at the dentist?

Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
Updated on September 09, 2024
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The treatment plan for periodontitis and caries requires first taking an X-ray to understand the severity of the periodontitis. If the periodontitis is not severe and is merely inflammation of the gum tissue, characterized by red, swollen gums, pus discharge, or bleeding, this situation can be addressed by dental cleaning to remove local irritants, followed by medicated rinsing around the gums to improve inflammation. If the periodontitis is more severe, involving absorption of the alveolar bone, then guided bone regeneration procedures are necessary. After basic treatment of the periodontitis, the teeth enter a maintenance phase, requiring regular follow-up visits.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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What are the symptoms of periodontitis?

Periodontitis stems from the further development of gingivitis, sharing many symptoms, including gum redness, congestion, and pain when eating. Additionally, periodontitis can cause teeth to become loose, and in severe cases, lead to tooth loss. There is also the presence of a periodontal ligament condition. Generally, gingivitis corresponds to a pseudo periodontal ligament while periodontitis involves the actual periodontal ligament due to the resorption of the alveolar bone—this distinction is crucial in differentiating gingivitis from periodontitis. Periodontitis features true periodontal ligament formation concurrent with the resorption of the jawbone. Dietary precautions for periodontitis include avoiding hard foods and not chewing hard objects to prevent resorption of the alveolar bone in the root apex area.

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Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
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What part of the body is moxibustion applied to for periodontitis?

Gingivitis generally occurs because the teeth surface of patients accumulates dental plaque and tartar over a long period, which causes the gum tissue to be in a chronic state of inflammation, eventually leading to periodontitis. Therefore, it is advised that patients with periodontitis primarily focus on timely cleaning of the dirt attached to the surface of the teeth. If not removed, it will continuously cause progressive irritation to the periodontal tissue, leading to chronic inflammatory changes in the entire dental tissue. If treating periodontitis, the first step should be the removal of the attached substances from the dental tissue, which can effectively eliminate dental plaque and tartar in the periodontal area, and is quite effective in treating periodontitis. Since these substances cannot be eliminated, the treatment generally does not achieve very good results. Thus, when patients suffer from periodontitis, moxibustion treatment is generally not employed, as it cannot remove the dental plaque and tartar on the teeth and does not serve a significant therapeutic effect. Hence, if patients want to effectively manage periodontitis, they must start with some cleaning of the gums. Patients can remove dental plaque and tartar through professional dental cleaning, then take some anti-inflammatory medication, and be vigilant about oral hygiene in daily life. Regular follow-ups are recommended to keep periodontitis under control.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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How is periodontitis treated at the dentist?

The treatment plan for periodontitis and caries requires first taking an X-ray to understand the severity of the periodontitis. If the periodontitis is not severe and is merely inflammation of the gum tissue, characterized by red, swollen gums, pus discharge, or bleeding, this situation can be addressed by dental cleaning to remove local irritants, followed by medicated rinsing around the gums to improve inflammation. If the periodontitis is more severe, involving absorption of the alveolar bone, then guided bone regeneration procedures are necessary. After basic treatment of the periodontitis, the teeth enter a maintenance phase, requiring regular follow-up visits.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Is periodontitis serious?

Periodontitis is a development of gingivitis. To determine the severity of periodontitis, an X-ray of the teeth is required to check for pathological bone resorption in the alveolar bone. If the symptoms are limited to the gingival tissue, such as simple gingival bleeding, brushing bleeding, gingival swelling, or pus discharge, it can be managed by dental cleaning or ultrasonic scaling, followed by medicated irrigation around the gums to improve the inflammation. If subgingival calculus is present, it might also be addressed with scaling or root planing to remove the calculus. If there is significant alveolar bone resorption due to severe periodontitis, the condition is serious and may require guided bone regeneration surgery. In severe cases, tooth extraction may be necessary.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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Can periodontitis be cured?

Periodontitis is a serious condition that develops if gingivitis is not treated promptly. Mild periodontitis can be cured. If periodontitis is detected early, it can be controlled by dental cleaning, removing dental plaque, food residues, tartar, or soft deposits around the teeth, and then rinsing and medicating the gum tissue. If periodontitis further progresses to cause partial absorption of the alveolar bone, this stage can also be treated by guided bone regeneration to cure periodontitis. If severe, with extensive absorption of the alveolar bone and significant loosening of the teeth, it is very difficult to cure.