The leading symptom that brings the patient to the dental office is bleeding gums when brushing the teeth. Based on the symptoms, clinical examination and X-ray, the doctor confirms the diagnosis of periodontitis. A clinical examination most often reveals the existence of periodontal pockets, which need to be treated therapeutically.

Treatment of periodontitis

The treatment of periodontitis begins with cleaning the teeth of plaque and tartar, removing old, inadequate fillings (most often “black” amalgam fillings) that irritate the gums, and scraping and polishing the roots of the teeth (“curettage”) to remove tartar deposits below the level of the gums . The patient should be taught proper oral hygiene, and appropriate toothpaste and mouthwash should be prescribed.

Periodontal therapy requires a great commitment of the doctor and the patient. Very frequent visits to the dentist and regular check-ups (every 3-6 months) after the end of periodontal therapy are necessary.

In the case of tooth loss due to periodontitis, after the end of periodontal therapy, it is necessary to rehabilitate the tooth loss with appropriate prosthetic therapy (crowns, bridges).

Periodontitis does not necessarily lead to tooth loss. It is necessary to visit a dentist at the first appearance of symptoms in order to start treatment as soon as possible and prevent tooth loss.