What is Periodontics?

Periodontitis, commonly known as gum disease, refers to an inflammatory process caused by infection that affects the structures supporting the teeth.

Although a majority of adults experience moderate periodontal disease, severe generalised periodontitis affects approximately 5% to 20% of the population. This prevalent oral condition occurs when specific bacteria multiply and become more virulent, taking advantage of risk factors like undisturbed bacterial deposits that accumulate in unreachable gum pockets. As these bacteria proliferate, they produce by-products that trigger the body’s inflammatory response around the teeth. If left untreated, this chronic inflammatory disease can progress over time, gradually leading to bone destruction.

How can the progression of periodontitis be recognised?

During brushing, individuals may notice gingivitis, characterised by inflamed and swollen gums that bleed. If left untreated, gingivitis can progress to gum disease (periodontitis). Over time, patients may experience increased gum bleeding, bad breath, shifting teeth, gum recession, and gum tenderness. It’s worth noting that smokers may have less noticeable gum bleeding due to nicotine’s vasoconstrictive effect on blood vessels, reducing bleeding from diseased gums. Since periodontitis is typically painless, it can go unrecognised until its advanced stages. Therefore, early detection of gum disease and its progressive destruction is crucial for timely treatment, especially through thorough examination by dental clinicians, particularly gum specialists or periodontists, who evaluate specific clinical signs, symptoms, and radiographic features of the disease.

Causes of Periodontitis

Is periodontitis linked to other systemic chronic inflammatory diseases? Extensive case studies, clinical research, and epidemiological studies have shown strong evidence-based associations between chronic gum infection or periodontal disease and conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), Alzheimer’s disease, erectile dysfunction syndrome, low-weight child disease, and premature parturition.

Learn more about the correlation between periodontal disease and other systemic inflammatory diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases.

Periodontitis occurs when dental plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, accumulates and remains around the teeth. Over time, this plaque can enhance the number and virulence of bacterial colonies while compromising the body’s natural defence mechanisms in the local tissues. Salivary minerals and gingival crevicular fluid contribute to the formation of a harder deposit called tartar or dental calculus. Bacterial growth is further facilitated along the root surfaces, leading to an inflammatory process that affects the surrounding periodontal tissues through gum pockets. This infection-induced inflammatory process gradually destroys the tooth-supporting/periodontal tissues, resulting in periodontitis.

Prevention of Periodontal Disease

Risk factors involved in the development and progression of periodontitis can be categorised into local virulent factors (such as the number and type of bacteria), host factors (including an individual’s local and systemic defence mechanisms and tissue healing capacity), and confounding risk factors that compromise the host response (e.g., smoking, certain medications affecting tissue response, stress, and systemic diseases). Identifying and addressing factors related to chronic gingivitis during professional dental and periodontal examinations and treatment sessions are essential.

It has been scientifically proven that smoking adversely affects the health, healing, and immune response of periodontal tissues, impacting the successful treatment of gum disease.

Treatment of Periodontitis

With careful assessment and treatment, it is often possible to completely halt the progress of periodontal disease.

Treatment of Periodontitis

With careful assessment and treatment, it is usually possible to completely halt the progress of periodontitis. The key to success is to eliminate the bacterial plaque which is triggering the periodontal disease process and to establish excellent oral hygiene practices. At Smile Hub Dental Clinic, we provide the following periodontal specialist services: Clinical assessment, diagnostic, treatment of the patient with aggressive and chronic periodontitis. Diagnosis and treatment planning for patients with the oral manifestation of systemic disease. Clinical assessment, diagnostic, treatment of patients who require post/endodontic and/or pre-prosthodontic root amputation and crown lengthening. Clinical assessment, diagnostic, treatment of young patients who require pre-orthodontic surgical tooth exposure, and patients who require post-orthodontic surgical soft tissue and hard tissue regenerative procedures. Clinical assessment, diagnostic, treatment of patients with clinical periodontal disease symptoms in need of occlusal re-organisation by means of fixed and removable prosthodontics. Clinical assessment, diagnostic, treatment of patients presenting with peri-implantitis. Online Periodontal Self Assessment At Smile Hub Dental Clinic, we implement Triple-Wavelength-Technology using the latest generation of LASER in dentistry. SiroLaser Infrared wavelength is effectively used in the decontamination of infected periodontal, peri-implant pockets, and infected root canals, as an adjunct to the mechanical and chemical debridement within the periodontal, peri-implant, and Endodontic treatment protocols. This means the indication for adjunct use of antibiotics and their consequent side effects is drastically reduced.