Is gum recession the same as periodontitis?

Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
Updated on November 18, 2024
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Gingival recession is not true periodontitis. Periodontitis is an inflammation of the periodontal supporting tissues, primarily clinically manifested as gingivitis or periodontitis. Gingivitis is an early stage of periodontitis, characterized by bleeding during brushing or eating, disappearance of the normal shape or state of the gums, and symptoms such as red and swollen gums, pus discharge, and disappearance of the papillae. The presence of dental calculus, soft plaque, and bacterial plaque around the teeth are stimulants, suggesting these are indicators of periodontitis. Gingival recession may be a temporary phenomenon due to reasons such as occlusion. Severe gingival recession can cause exposure of the tooth root surfaces, leading to sensitivity of the roots. If periodontitis has already caused the teeth to become loose, it is necessary to promptly proceed with guided bone regeneration.

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Written by Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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What are the symptoms of periodontitis?

Periodontitis stems from the further development of gingivitis, sharing many symptoms, including gum redness, congestion, and pain when eating. Additionally, periodontitis can cause teeth to become loose, and in severe cases, lead to tooth loss. There is also the presence of a periodontal ligament condition. Generally, gingivitis corresponds to a pseudo periodontal ligament while periodontitis involves the actual periodontal ligament due to the resorption of the alveolar bone—this distinction is crucial in differentiating gingivitis from periodontitis. Periodontitis features true periodontal ligament formation concurrent with the resorption of the jawbone. Dietary precautions for periodontitis include avoiding hard foods and not chewing hard objects to prevent resorption of the alveolar bone in the root apex area.

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How is periodontitis treated at the dentist?

The treatment plan for periodontitis and caries requires first taking an X-ray to understand the severity of the periodontitis. If the periodontitis is not severe and is merely inflammation of the gum tissue, characterized by red, swollen gums, pus discharge, or bleeding, this situation can be addressed by dental cleaning to remove local irritants, followed by medicated rinsing around the gums to improve inflammation. If the periodontitis is more severe, involving absorption of the alveolar bone, then guided bone regeneration procedures are necessary. After basic treatment of the periodontitis, the teeth enter a maintenance phase, requiring regular follow-up visits.

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How is periodontitis treated?

Periodontitis is an inflammation of the periodontal supporting tissue, often caused by not brushing or rinsing promptly after eating. Food residue accumulates around the gums, which over time can cause bleeding gums or bleeding during brushing. Severe cases may further develop into periodontal pockets, where dental calculus appears, potentially leading to loose teeth, tooth loss, or even absorption of the alveolar bone. Therefore, the basic treatment for periodontitis involves controlling plaque and eliminating inflammation. This can be achieved through ultrasonic cleaning, which is essentially teeth cleaning to remove dental calculus, followed by rinsing and medicating around the gums to improve their condition. In severe cases, periodontal scaling may be necessary. Thus, treatment of periodontitis is divided into basic treatment and maintenance treatment, with maintenance following the basic treatment phase.

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Is cleaning teeth useful for periodontitis?

Periodontal cleaning is useful and necessary for gum disease. Cleaning for periodontal disease is a basic treatment method. Gum disease results from the progression and severity of gingivitis, which occurs when teeth are not adequately cleaned after brushing or mouth rinsing is not done promptly after eating. Food residues or plaque accumulate around the gums, causing prolonged irritation, congestion in the gum tissues, or bleeding during eating, which are also the earliest symptoms of gingivitis. This can further lead to the formation of tartar, which attaches to the root surfaces above and below the gums, known as supragingival and subgingival tartar, respectively. Subgingival tartar poses a greater risk as it may lead to the resorption of the alveolar bone. Therefore, it is essential to remove local irritants through dental cleaning in treating periodontitis, followed by subsequent treatments.

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Does periodontitis need treatment?

Gingivitis is an inflammatory reaction of the tissues surrounding the teeth, clinically manifested as gingivitis or periodontitis. Symptoms include bleeding while eating or brushing teeth. Periodontitis needs to be treated early and can be managed by dental cleaning to remove local irritative factors. Dental calculus is divided into supragingival calculus and subgingival calculus. Supragingival calculus can be removed by dental cleaning, while subgingival calculus requires subgingival scaling. Early treatment of periodontitis can preserve the teeth; if not treated promptly, periodontitis may further lead to the resorption of the alveolar bone, requiring tooth extraction in severe cases.