Pyorrhea (more scientifically known as periodontitis) is a disease of the supporting tissues of the teeth.
Let’s take a brief anatomical overview to better understand what this is all about.
In normality, the teeth are contained, with their root, in the jaw bone, which is called the alveolar bone. This looks like a kind of ” cartridge box” that contains precisely the roots of the teeth aligned in the appropriate compartments (alveoli). The alveolar bone is entirely lined with mucous membrane, which in its outer portion is called gingiva while in its alveolar portion is called periodontium. The latter contains elastic fibers that bind and weld the tooth together (periodontal ligament).
Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease that affects the supporting tissues of the tooth by destroying them. The progressive lowering of the bone “cartridge” with the consequent destruction of the periodontal ligaments (which bind the teeth) leads to progressive exposure of the roots of the teeth these are increasingly mobile. The teeth, in the terminal stage of the disease, begin to wobble conspicuously until they have to be extracted. Toothless mouths and disfigured smiles are the inevitable consequence.
The main causes of pyorrhea
There are various causes that lead to the genesis of periodontitis:
- Hereditary predisposition:Periodontal patients almost always tell of family histories of pyorrhea characterized by parents or close relatives with the disease. It is unclear whether a genetic predisposition exists or rather habitual predisposing factors such as smoking, diabetes, hormonal and immune imbalances concur in the same household.
- Poor oral hygiene: certainly, in conjunction with predisposing factors, poor oral hygiene is the primary cause of pyorrhea. Tartar and bacterial plaque with its toxins, kept in the gum grooves for a long time, trigger the inflammatory processes underlying the disease.
Symptoms of pyorrhea
Symptoms of pyorrhea include:
- Gum bleeding: is among the earliest symptoms of the disease and occurs spontaneously upon brushing teeth or eating hard foods. The gingiva around teeth with periodontal disease, due to the inflammatory state, swells and fills with blood that is easily released.
- Purulent abscesses: the chronic inflammatory process of pyorrhea presents, if no therapeutic intervention is taken, its progressive course made up of continuous abscesses with pus escaping upon squeezing the gums (hence the popular term pyorrhea).
- Bacteria: these are nested in periodontal pockets (places where destruction of the alveolar bone and periodontal ligament creates gaps between the gum and tooth) and feed the infection and produce nauseating putrefactive gases.
- Dental mobility: progressive loss of the supporting apparatus of teeth leads to their mobility. Teeth slowly begin to shift, and those that have space tend to wobble during chewing.
- Diffuse pain: except in acute abscess formation (acute pain with swelling), the general symptomatology is often more subtle. Widespread soreness may be present in conjunction with the evolving poussées of the disease. More often the disease is asymptomatic.
Therapies for optimal care
Today it is possible to successfully intervene in the treatment of periodontal disease as long as it is diagnosed and treated early or even prevented in its onset.
Prevention
- Oral hygiene: teeth cleaning performed properly and periodically (every 6 to 8 months) by trained practitioners (dental hygiene graduates) can interrupt the cascading events that lead to disease progression.
- Elimination of predisposing habits: reduction/elimination of smoking and continuous monitoring of organic situations that lead to lowered immune defenses or alter the body’s ability to fight bacterial overgrowth.
Actions against active disease
Pyorrhea can be effectively combated. Periodontal disease can be cured from, and teeth can be firmly maintained in the mouth, banishing the specter of dentures.
The protocols put in place by our private clinic, validated by hundreds of scientific publications, include:
- Mapping: through a thorough periodontal examination accompanied by precise radiographic investigations, the exact mapping of the disease can be obtained. This is a key step in identifying the areas to be treated.
- Scaling and root polishing (SRP ): ultrasonic dental cleaning accompanied by manual polishing of exposed and infected tooth roots is the first activity that must be performed. The goal is the elimination of plaque, tartar and various debris to create absolutely clean surface.
- Pocket decontamination: this is achieved with the use of LASER DIODO. The millimeter probe inserted into the pockets is capable of total decontamination by radically eliminating pathogenic bacterial strains (especially actinomycetes). The energy of the diode laser specifically reaches the diseased gum tissue inside the pockets by healing it.
- Biostimulation: low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a treatment that elicits favorable cellular and biological responses. It results in normalization of cell function by promoting healing and repair. Tooth hardening is the result.
Periodontal disease, if diagnosed early, can be effectively treated and cured, averting the danger of tooth loss. Protocols involving Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy have proven to be very effective and able to restore good and lasting dental health in a short time.
Book a visit to AIRAM private medical center, our dental specialists will be happy to help you.
