Our teeth are particularly delicate and it is important to take care of them. They are essential to nourish us, since chewing depends on them. But not only that, together with the language they also allow us to pronounce words.
Neglecting them can create discomfort, compromise our health and lead to particularly acute and sometimes unbearable pain. However, despite these widespread awareness, and also because of the widespread fear of dentists, many underestimate this symptom, which is a probable indicator of a disorder that could cause tooth loss.
The illness
One of the most common ailments and towards which we try to raise awareness, is periodontitis. It is an inflammatory disease caused by bacteria. It affects all ages, but especially adults and with very high percentages after the age of 65. The problem with periodontitis is that it destroys the periodontium, the tissues around the tooth that protect and support it. Not only the gum, but also the bone and the periodontal ligament connected to the root.
Periodontitis is different from gingivitis, although the latter can become so if neglected. The key difference is that gingivitis is a more superficial inflammation of the gums and is reversible. On the contrary, periodontitis involves a real loss of tissues.
It can be more or less serious, but if left untreated and treated it leads to a very unhappy outcome – tooth loss.
Many underestimate this symptom as a probable indication of a disorder that could cause teeth to fall out
The causes of periodontitis are various, for some we can act and for others not. In fact, it can depend on hereditary factors, stress, diabetes and wrong interventions. But on the other hand also from some of our behaviors, such as a little careful oral hygiene and smoking.
Sometimes periodontitis is not immediately detectable and acts silently. But since success and ease of treatment depend on timeliness, it is important to be able to pick up on the signs. In fact, catching it in time means blocking it and preventing the loss of teeth.
The first sign of the probable presence of periodontitis is quite trivial: the bleeding of the gums. A bleeding that at first occurs when prompted, for example when brushing your teeth, but then spontaneously. So in this case it is good to go to the dentist as soon as possible.
The dentist is able to provide the patient with an early diagnosis, which avoids the degeneration of the disease.
Other symptoms that follow bleeding from the gums are:
- bad breath;
- teeth that move noticeably;
- presence of abscesses, i.e. pus in the spaces around the tooth;
- recession of the gums that slowly leave the tooth uncovered.
Knowing what it is and above all what can help us identify periodontitis is the first step to prevent the disease and take action.