How is periodontitis treated?

Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
Updated on September 28, 2024
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Periodontitis is an inflammation of the periodontal supporting tissue, often caused by not brushing or rinsing promptly after eating. Food residue accumulates around the gums, which over time can cause bleeding gums or bleeding during brushing. Severe cases may further develop into periodontal pockets, where dental calculus appears, potentially leading to loose teeth, tooth loss, or even absorption of the alveolar bone. Therefore, the basic treatment for periodontitis involves controlling plaque and eliminating inflammation. This can be achieved through ultrasonic cleaning, which is essentially teeth cleaning to remove dental calculus, followed by rinsing and medicating around the gums to improve their condition. In severe cases, periodontal scaling may be necessary. Thus, treatment of periodontitis is divided into basic treatment and maintenance treatment, with maintenance following the basic treatment phase.

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Dentistry
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What are the symptoms of periodontitis?

The main symptoms of periodontitis include: 1. Inflammation of the gums, which may present as bleeding, swelling, and a soft texture. Patients may experience bleeding while brushing their teeth, biting into hard objects, or even spontaneously. 2. Formation of periodontal pockets, where ongoing inflammation can lead to the development of periodontal pockets, resulting in the loss of periodontal attachment and causing bad breath. 3. Resorption of the alveolar bone, which can lead to weakened chewing capability. 4. Loose teeth, shifting of teeth, or even tooth loss, accompanied by secondary jaw trauma, gum recession, increased space between teeth, weakened chewing capability in the molars, fan-shaped spreading of the anterior teeth, periodontal abscess, food impaction, root caries, tooth sensitivity, etc. Therefore, it is important to maintain oral hygiene by brushing teeth morning and evening, rinsing after meals, and regularly visiting a dental department at an accredited hospital for teeth cleaning and periodontal care.

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What should I do if my face swells from periodontitis?

If periodontitis has already caused facial swelling, active treatment can be targeted at the periodontitis. First, if there are large deposits of tartar on the crown of the tooth, these should be removed using ultrasonic cleaning to eliminate the tartar and suppress the proliferation of anaerobic bacteria. Then, manually scrape the tartar, diseased bone, and granulation tissue attached to the root surface of the gums and thoroughly rinse with hydrogen peroxide solution. If an abscess has already formed in the periodontal area, it needs to be incised under local anesthesia, then drain it using a rubber strip, and treat with systemic antibiotics such as cephalosporins or nitroimidazole drugs to alleviate the patient’s condition.

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Dentistry
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How is periodontitis caused?

Periodontitis is a destructive inflammatory condition of the periodontal supporting tissues. The primary initiating factor of periodontitis is dental plaque, which occurs due to not brushing or rinsing promptly after eating. Over time, soft deposits accumulate around the teeth, which can calcify into tartar. The tartar contains a large amount of biofilm, such as the dental plaque biofilm, which can damage and cause bleeding or congestion in the gingival tissues, manifesting as bleeding when brushing teeth or eating. If gingivitis is not treated in time, it may lead to periodontitis. Periodontitis is also related to other systemic factors, such as genetic factors or smoking, mental stress, etc. Sometimes, discoloration of the tooth surfaces or food impaction can also cause periodontitis.

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What department should I go to for periodontitis?

Periodontitis is an inflammatory reaction that occurs in the supporting tissues of the periodontium, commonly presenting as gingivitis or periodontitis in clinical settings. Gingivitis, the early stage of periodontitis, is caused by food residues left after eating, which calcify under the action of saliva to form tartar. This tartar further irritates and causes inflammation of the gingival or periodontal tissues. Initially, one should visit the ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) department for this condition. If the specialties are further divided, one can consult the oral medicine department under ENT. If oral medicine is further subdivided, a visit to the periodontal department is necessary. Therefore, for detailed treatment of periodontitis, it is advisable to visit the periodontology department within the oral specialties to undergo teeth cleaning followed by gingival medication to improve the symptoms of periodontitis.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
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What to do after tooth extraction due to periodontitis?

After tooth extraction due to periodontitis, it is necessary to promptly fit a dental prosthesis. Periodontitis generally involves significant loss of the alveolar bone, leading to tooth mobility and even loss. After extracting a tooth due to periodontitis, it is essential first to observe for three months. After three months, once the absorption of the alveolar bone stabilizes, dental prosthesis can be performed. Temporary restorative measures, such as using temporary teeth, are also an option during this period. Temporary teeth generally require fitting with a permanent prosthesis after three months, at which point the temporary teeth are discarded. After fitting a permanent prosthesis, it is important to avoid hard foods since the jawbone conditions are not ideal due to periodontitis, and chewing hard objects could accelerate the absorption of the alveolar bone. Therefore, after tooth extraction due to periodontitis, temporary teeth can be worn for three months before permanent prosthetic treatment is carried out.