Oral health plays an important role in the functioning of the whole organism. The internal organs and systems are interconnected and the problems that have arisen in the functioning of the dentoalveolar apparatus can lead to a disruption in the functioning of the whole organism. That is why it is necessary to monitor the health of your teeth and gums not only on the basis of the aesthetic component. If some dental diseases occur, a periodontist can help. Who is that? Let us tell you more about what this specialist does.
What is a periodontist?
A periodontist is a highly qualified specialist who deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of periodontal diseases. Periodontium is a complex of tissues that surround the tooth and provide its fixation in the jawbones. The condition of the oral cavity and the patient’s body as a whole depends on the professionalism of such doctors.
Periodontology
Today, dentistry is divided into a large number of specializations. One such area of dentistry is periodontology. Periodontology is engaged in the diagnosis and treatment of various periodontal tissue diseases, as well as preventive measures to prevent the development of gum disease.
What does a periodontist treat?
A periodontist treats diseases of the soft tissues of the oral cavity. Quite often, advanced gum disease is the cause of tooth loss. To avoid such terrible consequences, you need to know what diseases can lead to this, and when can a periodontist help? The main diseases of the gums are: gingivitis , periodontitis and periodontal disease.
Symptoms for Anxiety
Most often, patients do not pay attention to the symptoms that occur in the oral cavity. This can continue until the manifestations of the disease begin to bring serious problems. Most patients visit the dental clinic when cavities form on the teeth. Quite often, patients learn about the presence of gum problems from the dentist. In the case of diagnosing gum disease, a periodontist will be able to provide qualified assistance. Having become familiar with the main symptoms of periodontal disease, you will be able to pay more attention to them.
- Bad breath.
- Swelling of the gums.
- Bleeding during brushing and in the process of chewing food.
- Pain or itching in the gum area.
- Discomfort while eating solid food.
- Omission of the gums.
- Tooth mobility.
If at least one of the listed symptoms bothers you, then you should immediately seek the help of a periodontist. These signs can be the beginning of the development of a serious disease, and any disease is easier and faster to treat in the early stages.
Gingivitis
This is the most common disease of periodontal tissues. Gingivitis is diagnosed as an inflammatory process of the soft tissues adjacent to the teeth. This affects the interdental spaces and swelling appears in the form of papillae. The main reason for the formation of the inflammatory process, quite often, is the banal neglect of oral hygiene. As a result, a soft and hard plaque is formed on the teeth, which is a favorable environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microflora. If dental deposits are not removed in time, gingivitis develops.
This disease is characterized by swelling, swelling and redness of the gums. In addition, there is bleeding and bad breath. Having diagnosed these symptoms in yourself, you need to visit a specialist as soon as possible. An experienced periodontist will help you quickly and efficiently eliminate this disease. You should not self-medicate, because this will only help to temporarily alleviate the condition, and it will not be possible to eliminate the disease itself. Since the cause of the inflammatory process lies in the dental deposits, the first thing to do is to remove them. This procedure is carried out by a dental hygienist. A periodontist, after removing dental deposits, conducts a course of anti-inflammatory therapy.If this situation is not given due attention, then you can face a more serious disease, such as periodontitis.
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Periodontitis
It is the next stage in the development of the inflammatory process in the gums, which occurs due to untreated gingivitis in time. In periodontitis, the deeper layers of the periodontal tissue are affected. Symptoms worsen and treatment becomes more difficult. Periodontitis is divided into several types: according to the area of the lesion, severity and cause. The disease is localized and generalized. Localized periodontitis captures the area of one or more adjacent teeth, and generalized affects almost the entire oral cavity.
To diagnose the disease, the periodontist collects an anamnesis about the diet, the presence of bad habits, lifestyle and existing concomitant diseases in the patient. All this information is necessary in order to have a more complete picture of the clinical picture. As with gingivitis, treatment of periodontitis begins with the removal of soft and hard plaque on the teeth. In the case of periodontitis, complex treatment is required. After removing all the deposits, the specialist will disinfect the gum pockets, apply applications and give recommendations on hygiene procedures and rinsing at home, and tell you how to properly adjust the diet.
Periodontitis
This disease is the most dangerous. To date, not many patients trigger the disease to such an extent, but, nevertheless, periodontal disease is diagnosed in 5-10% of the total number of patients. Parodontosis is not just an inflammatory process, at this stage of the development of the disease, atrophy of soft and hard tissues occurs. And this is an almost irreversible process. Only a periodontist can provide qualified assistance with periodontal disease. Modern technology can work wonders. And numerous patient reviews indicate that after the treatment of periodontal disease, their quality of life has improved significantly.
It should be noted that the symptoms of periodontal disease are significantly different from gingivitis and periodontitis. As a result of dystrophic changes in the vascular system, the gums have a pale color. The edges of the gums descend, wedge-shaped defects form, the necks of the teeth are exposed. In this case, bleeding and pain may be absent. In this connection, the patient may not betray this process due attention. Indeed, at a certain stage in the development of the disease, in addition to a violation of the aesthetic appearance of the teeth and an unpleasant odor, the patient may not be bothered by anything. But the disease does not stand still. Later, the mobility of the dentition will be added to the listed symptoms. Teeth become loose and in extreme situations even fall out. How can a periodontist help?
Emergency help
The fact remains undeniable that in the event of inflammatory processes in the gums, the patient needs qualified help from a specialist. And if in the initial stages the treatment is fast, then in the advanced stage of periodontitis or initial periodontal disease, cardinal measures should be applied. First, deposits on the teeth are removed. The dentist then performs oral hygiene. Anti-inflammatory therapy is prescribed. The surgeon removes teeth that cannot be restored. After that, splinting (fixation) of loose teeth is carried out to prevent their complete loss. If periodontal disease is left untreated at this stage in the development of the disease, tooth loss can occur quite quickly.
In situations where part of the dentition is missing, the patient is offered prosthetics. This process is carried out by a dentist-orthopedist.
Prevention
If you don’t take care of your own health, no one will do it for you. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the teeth and gums. In order to avoid the development of inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, it is necessary to perform a thorough brushing of the teeth daily. Be sure to visit the dentist for preventive examinations at least once every six months, even if you do not have any problems with your teeth. And also carry out professional cleaning of teeth to remove dental deposits. Be more attentive to the diet, which must necessarily include a complex of all the necessary vitamins and minerals.It is advisable to get rid of bad habits, because smoking and drinking alcohol have a bad effect on the health of your teeth and gums.
Now you know who a periodontist is and what diseases he treats. With this information, you can prevent the development of serious dental diseases. With the manifestation of even minor symptoms of the inflammatory process, it is necessary to immediately go to an appointment with a specialist. Then the treatment will be painless, fast and low-cost, and your teeth will serve you for many more years.
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