Healing of periodontal disease

synonym

Periodontitis, inflammation of the periodontium

introduction

Wrongly labeled as Periodontal disease This disease is a bacterial inflammation of the tooth supporting structure (lat. Periodontium).
In medical jargon, the correct name for this clinical picture is Periodontal disease. In most cases, periodontal disease starts with an irreversible (lat. Irreversible) Destruction of the structures of the tooth support system.

In general, a technical distinction is made between the apical (from the Root tip of Tooth outgoing) and the marginal (starting from the gum line) periodontal disease. However, both forms cannot be completely differentiated from one another, because both can also merge into one another. Although the causes for the development of periodontal disease can be diverse, dead teeth and inflammatory processes in the area of ​​the Gums (lat. Gingiva) to their main causes.
The reasons for training a Inflammation of the gums (lat. Gingivitis) are again to be looked for in an irregular and / or simply incorrectly performed oral hygiene.

In the course of this, plaque builds up, especially in hard-to-reach places and narrow interdental spaces. Dental plaque (Plaque) consists mainly of food residues and the metabolic end products of the bacterial pathogens resident in the oral cavity. If these deposits are not regularly removed, the plaque usually penetrates under the gum line and causes deep gum pockets to form. It is precisely these widening of the gingiva that later serve as ideal breeding grounds for bacteria and other pathogens.
The result is a strong defense reaction of the organism and the development of inflammatory processes.

Cure periodontal disease

The primary goal of curing periodontal disease is to contain the inflammatory processes in the area of ​​the periodontium and to promote their optimal healing.
Furthermore, the actual periodontal cure should be followed by a suitable prophylactic treatment, because this is the only way to effectively reduce the risk of a recurrence of periodontal disease. For this reason, an extensive periodontal screening is usually carried out before the actual healing. As a first step, the treating dentist must first get an accurate picture of the severity of the periodontal disease and the extent of the disease within the components of the tooth support system.
In addition, the patient's brushing behavior and the thoroughness of oral hygiene must be carefully analyzed.

The attending dentist uses very simple means for this purpose. At the beginning, the condition of the gums (Gingiva) can be viewed with the naked eye.
Inflammation or other pathological processes in the area of ​​the gums affect the appearance of the gingiva extremely quickly and cause visible discoloration. While the healthy gums appear rosy, bright and properly supplied with blood, damaged gingiva shows itself through an increasingly darker color.
Inflamed gums appear to be attacked with the naked eye.

In a second step, both the extent and the depth of existing gingival pockets are assessed. For this purpose, a scaled measuring probe is inserted into the gum pockets on the tooth lengthways between the tooth substance and the gingiva and a specific screening index is recorded.

The method most frequently used in everyday practice is the so-called PSI (Parodontal S.screening I.ndex). Of the PSI takes the mean of the pocket depths of each Dentition quadrants, so it is only measured on one tooth (representative of all teeth in the quadrant). A much more precise method is to record all gum pockets.
Six measured values ​​are recorded for each tooth. If the periodontal disease is extensive, it is also useful to do a so-called X-ray overview image (OPG). This recording enables the exact assessment of the Bone condition and thus an assessment of the prognosis of periodontal healing. The healing of periodontal disease itself is divided into three phases, which are followed by a prophylactic phase lasting several years.
Both the process and the extent and intensity of periodontal healing, like most dental treatment measures, depend to a large extent on the initial condition and the aggressiveness of the periodontal disease. Using the in the Diagnostic phase Based on the findings, the treating dentist decides whether a closed procedure is sufficient or whether the open periodontal disease needs to be healed.

In the next step, the entire dentition of the affected patient must be done with the help of so-called curettes professionally cleaned become. In dental terminology, the basic measure to heal periodontal disease is called professional tooth cleaning (PCR, curettage).
The curettes used are sterilizable hand instruments, the ends of which are ground at a specific angle.

It is thanks to this specific cut that the curettes can be guided particularly close to the tooth substance. As a result, effective removal of hard (Tartar) and soft (Plaque) Dental plaque is ensured.
During periodontal healing, everyone comes first supragingival (lying above the gum line) Plaque be thoroughly eliminated. Just by performing such a professional tooth cleaning and learning an effective tooth-brushing technique tailored to the respective patient, the condition of the teeth holding apparatus can be significantly improved and the periodontal disease cured.
For most of those affected, no further therapy needs to be carried out to cure the periodontal disease. However, in patients in whom periodontal disease is advanced and / or large parts of the Jawbone are affected, further periodontal measures must be carried out.

The so-called closed treatment phase is the next step in curing periodontal disease. In this phase, the removal of all under the gumline (subgingival) deposits. When cleaning subgingival teeth, the attending dentist uses special sonic and / or ultrasonic hand instruments in addition to the curettes used in the hygiene phase.
In this treatment step, particularly stubborn deposits and hard tartar can also be completely removed. The progress of the therapy can be assessed by measuring the pocket depth again in a separate check-up appointment after observing a healing time of approximately one week.

In addition, it is only after this time has expired that it is possible to consider whether further treatment measures need to be added. Is in the patient after Periodontal disease heal only a slight reduction in pocket depths or if the affected person has particularly deep initial pockets (from a depth of about 7mm), it is often necessary to also initiate an open treatment method.
While performing this procedure, the gum line is surgically opened with a scalpel. This has the advantage that the dentist can then remove the (subgingival) Can carry out coverings under sight. The result is a much more efficient cleaning of the tooth surface, which brings particularly good chances of curing periodontal disease.

Another advantage of the open procedure is the fact that bone defects that have already arisen can be precisely assessed and filled with natural or artificial bone substitute material in the same session. One of the disadvantages of open tooth cleaning is, for example, the fact that the healing time is significantly longer compared to the closed procedure. The chances of success (forecast) of the periodontal disease can be cured by the application of a directed against the bacteria living within the oral cavity antibiotic can be increased many times over.

So it is in the course of prevention (prophylaxis) Immediate reinfection in most cases makes sense to reduce the bacterial colonization within the oral cavity.

Home remedies for periodontal treatment

As with many diseases, there are also various home remedies for treating periodontal disease. These include, for example, hydrogen peroxide. It is considered a strong antibacterial agent that can be used as a mouthwash diluted with water (1: 2) in the morning and in the evening. It is very important not to swallow the rinse and then rinse your mouth with water. Baking powder is also a well-known home remedy for combating bacteria under the gums. The baking powder is mixed with water to form a paste and applied to the gums with the finger. After 10 minutes of exposure, the mouth can be rinsed out. Green tea, an oil cure or clove oil are also suitable for alternative periodontal treatment. Salt water, lemon juice, or tea tree oil are also recommended in the natural treatment of periodontal disease. Overall, however, it is very important to know that the use of home remedies alone cannot replace periodontal therapy at the dentist. However, you can add them to your needs.

Read more on the topic: Periodontal Treatment

homeopathy

Periodontal disease can only be completely healed if it was detected at an early stage. In all other cases one tries to minimize the progression of the pathological condition and to ensure the preservation of the tooth. A degraded jawbone or no longer existing connective tissue fibers of the tooth support apparatus cannot be restored. Homeopathic treatment can support healing or alleviation of the pathological condition. Single homeopathic remedies such as Arnica or complex homeopathic remedies such as Aqua silicata complex Nestmann can be used. Organ preparations are also used, which are produced in different potencies and adapted to the intensity of the inflammatory condition. Finally, the well-known Schüßler salts are also used in homeopathy for the accompanying treatment of periodontal disease. The Schüssler salts No. 2, No. 11 and No. 3 are mainly used here. In general, you should seek advice from a homeopath on the use of homeopathic medicines.

Accompanying therapy with the help of an oil treatment

A well-known and very effective complementary therapy for periodontal treatment is the use of an oil cure. It is used for several weeks and has already had some success in the treatment of inflamed tonsils, sinus infections and mucosal diseases. Prosthesis wearers should remove them before starting the morning oil treatment. When using the cure, take a tablespoon of cold-pressed sunflower oil in your mouth on an empty stomach in the morning. You pull this through your teeth several times and let it stay in your mouth for 10-15 minutes. It should be kept moving almost constantly in the mouth. In the meantime, short breaks are recommended to allow the oil to take effect. The yellow oil then emulsifies into a white liquid that should then be spat out. This is best done in a paper towel, which can then be disposed of in the trash. To remove the taste a little, the mouth can be rinsed out with lukewarm water after the treatment. Periodontal disease can be cured in the early stages. However, the oil treatment described above is not enough on its own. It is to be used exclusively as an accompanying therapy.

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