Periodontal Therapy in Houston, TX

Periodontal disease, commonly known as gum disease, affects about 30% of the adult population, making it the number one cause of adult tooth loss. Many patients require a set of dentures because of this chronic condition. While not curable, with a dedicated professional hygiene regimen and consistent at-home care, it is controllable.

Gum disease can advance with few signs or symptoms in early stages. Patients diagnosed with this condition usually don’t experience pain and are surprised by the quiet, yet swift damage of periodontal disease. In simple terms, consider the gums and bone around your teeth as the foundation of a house. Just like a house, the foundation must be sound regardless of the beauty of the home. When the foundation crumbles, the rest of it does too.

Regular dental exams, professional cleanings, and good at-home oral hygiene practices are essential to detecting and strategically managing periodontitis.

What Causes Gum Disease?

Our mouths provide a home to millions of bacteria, both beneficial and harmful. Bacterial waste forms a sticky substance called plaque, which adheres to the teeth. Brushing and flossing aim at removing plaque before it mineralizes into tartar. Tartar becomes a colony for more bacteria to release toxins into the gums.

Gums react to this bacterial invasion with an inflammatory response thanks to your immune system. Around the base of each tooth is a small collar of gum tissue that forms a small crevice or pocket. This warm, dark environment provides a perfect habitat for deeper tartar and bacteria to infiltrate.

Early inflammation results in bleeding gums, commonly known as gingivitis. Untreated bacteria can create a chronic infection in the periodontal pocket. In many cases, the bone begins to deteriorate around the teeth. While gums may be slightly tender at this stage, there’s generally minimal discomfort as the bone begins to erode.

More than 50% of the bone around your teeth can disappear before any signs of looseness or pain appear. This bone never regenerates, so this loss becomes permanent and harder to control as the bacteria hide deeper into the gums. In advanced cases, untreated gum disease can result in abscesses and generalized tooth loss.

Diagnosis

There are several factors taken into account before making a gum disease diagnosis. This includes the small collar of gum, or pocket, around each tooth, which usually sits 2-3 millimetres deep, a space easily cleaned by floss or a toothpicks Drs. Nimri and Zingalis, or our hygiene team, can measure and chart multiple areas using a small device called a periodontal probe. If these measurements are more than 3 millimetres deep and bleed upon probing, then periodontal disease is present. Deeper readings indicate more advanced disease than shallower readings.

Drs. Nimri and Zingalis will also evaluate the texture and shape of your gums, along with any movement detectable in each tooth. It’s also vital to examine the levels, shape, and density of the bone around the teeth on digital x-rays. By collecting all of this data, a clear picture forms about your gum condition.

Treatment

After establishing a diagnosis, we’ll be able to address the severity of your condition and develop a personalized treatment plan. In milder forms, meaning little or no bone loss, one or two visits with our hygiene team may bring the condition under control. We’ll provide you with a strategy for daily home care and an established schedule for maintenance so little additional treatment may be needed.

If the inflammation has advanced, and measurable bone loss is evident, a proactive approach to stop further deterioration should be strongly considered. Oftentimes we will suggest gentle numbing of your gums, and a more in-depth cleaning process called root planing or scaling. Over a few visits, a portion of your mouth will be deep cleaned at a time. The infected pocket around each tooth, including the mineralized tartar, must be carefully cleaned out with hand and ultrasonic instruments. Polishing the teeth to establish glassy surfaces that help repel stain and plaque accumulation usually finishes this initial therapy.

Drs. Nimri and Zingalis may suggest a medicated rinse, electric or ultrasonic toothbrush, or other products to enhance your home care routine. Remember, gum disease can be controlled but not cured. Dedicated daily efforts must be consistent to control the disease.

Maintenance Matters

Regular home care is critical to arrest the progression of gum disease. Within a few hours of cleaning, bacteria begins to repopulate and adhere to the teeth. Plaque left undisturbed will start to harden and mineralize within 24 hours. Remember, deeper gum pockets require even more diligence to help prevent bacteria from undermining the foundation of your teeth.

When gum pockets are previously damaged by bacteria, it can often be difficult to reach at home. That’s why a faithful maintenance schedule with us is essential. We can customize your plan to include two to three visits a year depending on several factors. This includes the severity of your condition, response to treatment, and the consistency of your home care.

If our combined efforts don’t slow or stop the progression of your gum disease, we will refer you to a specialist, known as a periodontist. With specialized training in many gum conditions, further treatment may be recommended.

Mouth-Body Connection

Research continues to establish clear links between bacterial disease in the mouth and ailments in other parts of the body. Studies show a link between oral bacteria and conditions such as heart disease, stroke, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and even certain types of cancers. The relationship between a person’s oral health and whole body health has never been more understood than it is today.

Bleeding gums provide a direct pathway into the bloodstream, a journey that oral bacteria can quickly take. If an open wound existed on your skin, infection would be a concern. Gum tissue that bleeds should not be looked at any differently. This helps explain why researchers continue to identify oral bacteria deposits in various areas of our bodies.

Diabetes and other auto-immune disorders lower the body’s ability to fight infection, allowing uncontrolled gum disease to advance faster and with more destruction. Research also confirms that the inflammation in the mouth can aggravate diabetes and make it harder to control. The two-way relationship between these chronic conditions emphasizes the importance of optimal oral health.