Periodontal diseases creep up on you without realising it, only making themselves known, for example, by means of slight and occasional bleeding when you brush your teeth. Preventive action will stop them from getting worse.
Signs and symptoms of periodontal disease
Signs of periodontal disease:
- A reddening of some parts of your gums.
- Bleeding while brushing your teeth.
- Movement of one or more teeth.
- Bad breath.
- An abscess or infection around a tooth or molar.
- One or more teeth with receding gums.
In the event of noticing one of the symptoms in the above list, you must immediately make an appointment with our surgery and we will design a treatment plan, consisting of four stages.
The four stages of periodontal treatment
Stage 1
We check the form and frequency with which you remove dental plaque, or in other words, how often you brush your teeth. This should be done three times a day, after every meal, wherever possible taking care not to eat between meals, and particularly avoiding sweet foods. We will advise you on the best interdental brushing method, as well as recommending the adequate toothpaste and mouthwash for your case.
Stage 2
We will clean your mouth at the surgery and, if necessary, will proceed with deeper cleaning under anaesthesia, scraping and planing the roots. This will enable us to remove the plaque and the bacteria responsible for gum inflammation.
Stage 3
We will assess the response of your gums, proceeding with a clinical and radiological examination in order to study improvement of the periodontal fabric, i.e. of the gum and bone around your teeth. Having done this, we will advise you on preventive care and how often you must come to us for a check-up and to have your teeth cleaned. In the case of deep periodontal pockets and bone loss, we will suggest surgery for periodontal treatment to prevent tooth loss.
Stage 4
This is the maintenance stage, involving regular visits to our surgery and meticulous dental hygiene at home, to guarantee that the results obtained will remain in place over time.
