What is periodontosis?
Periodontosis (or more correctly periodontitis) is a disease of the periodontium, or more simply, a disease of the tissue that anchors the tooth in the jaw. This disease is the main cause of tooth loss in adults even before caries.
The disease begins with inflammation of the gums, usually due to poor oral hygiene. The inflammation is caused by bacteria that form the dental plaque. They produce secretions that irritate the gums.
The result is inflammation of the gums. If the plaque remains, it hardens into tartar, which sticks to the teeth and slowly grows like a crystal deeper and deeper below the gums. The tartar consists of millions of living bacteria which, because of their mineralized structure, cannot be removed by a toothbrush. They multiply and thrive, so that the inflammation becomes more and more severe. Over time, the ligaments and the bone that anchors the teeth in the jaw are progressively and gradually degraded. A so-called pocket develops between the gum and the tooth. In this pocket, bacteria and tartar can in turn grow and thrive undisturbed, causing a progressively greater degradation of the bone. The teeth become loose, the gums look swollen and bleed at the slightest touch. When this pocket reaches a certain depth, pus may also form.
This degenerative process is chronic and progressive. What has been broken down will never regenerate and is lost forever! Through appropriate treatments, the dentist can slow down or stop the inflammation, but this is only possible if the person concerned also has their oral hygiene perfectly under control. If not, the disease is predestined to become active again, leading to ever greater bone loss until the tooth loosens to the point where it must be removed or falls out on its own.
Periodontitis without timely medical diagnosis, very often, remains unnoticed for a very long time. The affected person only notices a more frequent bleeding of the gums when he/she wants to clean the teeth and the interdental spaces thoroughly and often also suffers from a bad breath.
Do you have any questions? Then write to me!
I am happy to answer your questions.
Yours, Lorenza Dahm
