Dasan-dong Dental Clinic: If your gums bleed and smell bad, it could be periodontal disease

Dasan-dong Dental Clinic: If your gums bleed and smell bad, it could be periodontal disease

We are constantly told that we must brush our teeth three times a day within 30 minutes of eating. This brushing is not only to prevent cavities in the teeth but also to remove food debris stuck between the gums and teeth, thereby preventing periodontal disease.

However, many people do not clearly understand what periodontal disease is and often neglect symptoms when they appear, leading to significant progression of the disease. It is often only after experiencing pain that they visit a Dasan-dong dental clinic. Today, we will take some time to learn about periodontal disease, which can lead to tooth loss in an instant.

Gums refer to the gingiva, the part that surrounds the teeth. Inside these gums, there is a bone called the alveolar bone, which supports the teeth to be well-fixed and to chew effectively. If you notice that your chewing strength has weakened and your teeth are wobbly, you should suspect that the alveolar bone is gradually being absorbed due to aging or disease, or that the gum tissue surrounding the teeth is gradually receding.

Periodontal disease refers to a condition where the gums degenerate as their ability to hold the teeth weakens due to various causes. Typical symptoms include bleeding gums, wobbly teeth, severe bad breath even with diligent brushing, frequent canker sores, and pus coming from the teeth.

If left untreated, severe periodontitis can lead to wobbly teeth or, eventually, tooth loss as the gums can no longer hold the teeth, and the gums may necrotize. Therefore, it is considered an important oral disease where early treatment is crucial.

Many people tend to take bleeding gums lightly. In fact, listening to the stories of periodontal disease patients who visited the Dasan-dong dental clinic, the majority initially dismissed bleeding gums as a result of fatigue or brushing too hard. They only sought dental care when the bleeding wouldn't stop or their gums frequently swelled, causing pain. These cases are the most common.

The biggest cause of periodontal disease is plaque, which is food debris that continuously hardens and accumulates between teeth and between teeth and gums after we eat.

Even with meticulous brushing, toothbrush bristles are often thicker than the spaces between teeth and gums, so some food debris is bound to remain. This hardened debris, plaque, combined with oral bacteria, causes cavities. As this plaque gradually accumulates, it creates gaps between the gums and teeth, allowing oral bacteria to invade and cause an inflammatory response.

Therefore, it is important to develop the habit of regularly visiting the dentist for scaling treatment to thoroughly remove plaque, which is food debris that cannot be removed by brushing alone, thereby protecting both tooth and gum health.

In particular, if you notice that your gums bleed frequently or swell often when brushing, unlike usual, you should suspect early symptoms of periodontal disease and visit a nearby Dasan-dong dental clinic to check your gum health.

In the early stages of periodontal disease, known as gingivitis, symptoms often improve with scaling treatment alone. However, even within the gingivitis stage, the manifestations vary from patient to patient. Therefore, in cases where periodontal disease symptoms do not improve after scaling treatment at a Dasan-dong dental clinic, scaling to remove visible plaque may be combined with periodontal curettage to remove inflammation in the gums.

If gingivitis is left untreated for a long time, and symptoms progress beyond just bleeding gums to include pus from the gums, severely wobbly teeth, or severe bad breath despite diligent brushing and gargling, the Dasan-dong dental clinic considers this to be the periodontitis stage, a more advanced stage than gingivitis, and provides appropriate treatment.

Periodontal disease is not a condition where you can completely neglect management after one treatment. Even if the prognosis of the treatment is good and you feel fine for now, the disease can recur depending on the patient, and even with treatment, it may only slow down the progression of the disease, which can continue slowly. Therefore, regular management is crucial.

At Dasan-dong Dental Clinic, for patients who have received periodontal disease treatment, we recommend a follow-up examination approximately 5-6 months later. If further action is needed, we advise additional treatment. Of course, this period varies for each patient, so it is wise to consult with a specialist during treatment to determine your personalized regular check-up schedule and consistently undergo oral examinations.

Additionally, we recommend receiving scaling treatment at least once a year, or every 3, 6, or 12 months, depending on the rate of plaque accumulation in the patient's mouth. Since scaling treatment can be received at an affordable price of 10,000-20,000 won once a year with health insurance benefits, it would be beneficial to take advantage of this.

Unfortunately, if the disease has progressed to the stage of periodontal necrosis, it is no longer possible to save the natural teeth. In such cases, the Dasan-dong dental clinic may recommend tooth extraction and implant treatment for the severely affected areas.

Fortunately, the chief director of Dasan-dong Dental Clinic is a specialist in integrated dentistry, qualified to perform comprehensive dental treatments including cavities, periodontal disease treatment, complex implant procedures, and wisdom tooth extractions. Therefore, for all dental treatments, you can receive personalized 1:1 care from consultation to treatment and aftercare directly from the director.

This means you don't need to switch to different dental clinics based on the treatment area, allowing for one-stop treatment, saving time, and eliminating the need for multiple consultations for each treatment.

The reason many people hesitate to visit a Dasan-dong dental clinic even when experiencing pain is likely due to the apprehension of pain during dental treatment.

Bareunyoung Dental Clinic is equipped with a digital painless anesthesia machine to alleviate this burden for patients. We also possess university hospital-grade 3D-CT equipment for precise diagnosis to provide appropriate treatment based on the patient's oral condition.

Furthermore, to avoid overtreatment, Bareunyoung Dental Clinic ensures that for all procedures, even if it takes a long time, the patient is thoroughly informed about their current oral condition, necessary treatments, and how the treatment will proceed. All medical tools are used on a one-tool-per-patient basis to prevent cross-contamination.

If periodontal disease has progressed significantly and implant placement is necessary after extraction, we provide various implant treatments tailored to the patient, using genuine materials, and issue a warranty after implant treatment.

Bareunyoung Dental Clinic, a Dasan-dong dental clinic where a specialist in integrated dentistry provides responsible care from start to finish, is located a 1-minute walk from Yaksu Station Exit 6. For those whose busy schedules prevent them from visiting the dentist, we offer evening appointments until 8:30 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does periodontal disease occur?

Periodontal disease primarily occurs due to plaque, which is food debris that hardens and accumulates between teeth and gums, and oral bacteria. Plaque causes inflammation and creates gaps between the gums and teeth, allowing bacteria to invade.

Does bleeding gums always mean periodontal disease?

Yes, bleeding gums can be a typical early symptom of periodontal disease. It's important not to dismiss it lightly as being due to fatigue or brushing too hard, but to visit a dentist for an examination.

What treatment is received in the early stages of periodontal disease?

In the early stage of periodontal disease, gingivitis, symptoms can often improve with scaling treatment alone. Scaling effectively removes plaque, helping to restore gum health.

What if symptoms don't improve after scaling?

If symptoms do not improve after scaling, periodontal curettage, which removes inflammation in the gums, may be performed in conjunction with the removal of visible plaque. This depends on the patient's condition.

Can periodontal disease recur after treatment?

Yes, periodontal disease can recur if management is neglected after treatment. Treatment only slows down the progression of the disease, so regular check-ups and management, typically every 5-6 months, are crucial.

What treatment is received if periodontal disease is severe?

If periodontal disease has progressed severely to the stage of periodontal necrosis, it may be difficult to save the natural teeth, and tooth extraction followed by implant treatment may be recommended. It is important to consult with a specialist in integrated dentistry to establish an appropriate treatment plan.