If not corrected, gingivitis can progress into periodontitis. Periodontitis is a low grade infection of the gums. At this stage, even a high quality tooth brush may not control the disease because of the amount of calculus accumulated around the teeth. Bacteria in the calculus produces waste products which create toxins and volatile sulfur compounds. Toxins destroy the bone and gums around the teeth leading to the development of a periodontal pocket. A pocket is an abnormal deepening of the natural crevice or space between the teeth and gums. These spaces or crevices in healthy gums are normally 1 to 3mm deep. Periodontal pockets are a perfect environment for infection and if left untreated will painlessly progress deeper and deeper. If the pocket progresses beyond the normal depth of 3mm and reaches a depth of 5mm it is known as moderate periodontal disease. The volatile sulfur compounds produced by the bacteria are the leading cause of bad breath. Even teeth that look healthy can be hiding pockets where bone is being destroyed. To evaluate for hidden gum disease your dentist will recommend x-rays and periodontal probing. The periodontal probe is a special instrument for measuring the pocket depth around each tooth. Periodontal disease is rarely confined to one tooth. It usually involves several teeth and may effect all of them. If your pockets are 5mm or less your dentist may suggest non surgical treatment involving special scaling of your teeth over several visits. At completion of this treatment, the dentist will reprobe your gums to evaluate the results. If the pockets decrease to a depth of 1-3mm, the periodontitis may be under control. |
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