Oksu-dong Dental Clinic: Why Timely Treatment for Periodontal Disease (Pungchi) is Crucial

Oksu-dong Dental Clinic: Why Timely Treatment for Periodontal Disease (Pungchi) is Crucial

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, gingivitis and periodontal disease are common oral conditions, even more frequent than the common cold. However, many people are less informed about them compared to cavities or wisdom teeth, or they tend to dismiss symptoms and delay treatment.

Yet, the longer periodontal disease is left untreated, the more severe it becomes. In advanced cases, it can lead to tooth extraction or spontaneous tooth loss, requiring complex root canal and implant treatments. Therefore, it is best to seek treatment as quickly as possible and adopt preventive habits to avoid periodontal disease.

The primary causes of periodontal disease, commonly known as ‘pungchi’, are plaque and tartar. Plaque refers to the bacterial film that forms on the tooth surface after we eat, while tartar is formed when this bacterial film combines with leftover food particles in the mouth, hardening like stone and accumulating between teeth or between the gums and teeth.

When plaque and tartar accumulate for extended periods, a gap gradually forms between the gums and teeth. Periodontal disease occurs when over 300 types of bacteria residing in the mouth infiltrate this gap, causing an inflammatory reaction.

Gingivitis, the earliest symptom of periodontal disease (pungchi), involves inflammation of the soft tissues, leading to swollen or bleeding gums. If your gums frequently swell or bleed during brushing without any apparent injury, you should suspect that periodontal disease may have already begun.

In the early gingivitis stage, symptoms can often be improved with a relatively simple scaling procedure. However, if gingivitis is left untreated, it can progress to periodontitis over time. Periodontitis involves inflammation of the periodontal ligament and alveolar bone, characterized by pus in the gums, severe gum sensitivity and tingling, pain, receding gums that make teeth appear longer, and persistent bad breath despite diligent brushing.

The problem is that if periodontitis is left untreated even in its early stages, it can progress to advanced periodontitis, causing teeth to loosen and fall out. Even if they don't fall out, the alveolar bone and pulp may already be contaminated, making it impossible to preserve or save the natural teeth. In such cases, extraction, root canal treatment, and implant placement may be necessary, requiring caution.

However, as mentioned earlier, in the early stages of periodontal disease (pungchi), gum bleeding is minimal and temporary, occurring only during brushing or eating, and quickly stops. The pain is also not severe, leading many to dismiss it as simply swollen and painful gums due to fatigue.

As a result, many patients who visit Oksu-dong Dental Clinic complaining of throbbing and tingling gums, thinking it's a cavity, are often diagnosed with severe periodontitis. Especially for middle-aged individuals in their 40s and 50s, as the oral cavity also ages, the gap between the gums and teeth widens easily, increasing the likelihood of periodontal disease.

Recently, with more people smoking and consuming sticky foods like caramel, chocolate, and desserts that leave residue on teeth and gums, there has been an increase in cases of periodontal disease even among younger age groups.

To prevent such periodontal diseases, it is advisable to develop a habit of good oral hygiene, including flossing and brushing within 30 minutes after eating, to prevent tartar buildup.

However, even with meticulous brushing, it's challenging to remove tartar accumulated in visually inaccessible areas or deep within the teeth and gums. Therefore, it is wise to regularly visit Oksu-dong Dental Clinic for scaling and oral check-ups.

Since tartar can accumulate anywhere on the teeth and gums, it is crucial to accurately assess the current condition of your teeth and gums. Therefore, when choosing an Oksu-dong dental clinic for periodontal disease treatment, you should check if they have equipment for precise examinations, offer customized treatment based on symptoms, prioritize saving natural teeth over immediately recommending implant treatment, and provide responsible aftercare.

At Oksu-dong Dental Clinic, the head dentist, who is certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for integrated dental treatment, provides personalized care from the initial consultation to treatment and aftercare.

In particular, even if periodontal disease is advanced, Oksu-dong Dental Clinic carefully examines whether there are any ways to save natural teeth before recommending implant treatment. Even if you have already been advised to undergo extraction and implant treatment at another dental clinic, we will re-examine and proceed with diagnosis and treatment.

Furthermore, Oksu-dong Dental Clinic utilizes precise diagnostic equipment like 3D CT to thoroughly examine areas difficult to see with the naked eye, striving to provide appropriate dental treatment tailored to each patient. For those with a great fear of pain during treatment, various anesthesia methods such as digital painless anesthesia, gargle anesthesia, and topical anesthesia are applied to help reduce their anxiety.

Moreover, all dental hygienists at Oksu-dong Dental Clinic who perform scaling for early periodontal disease are not trainees but officially licensed national dental hygienists. They meticulously examine the patient's oral condition and pain levels, providing detailed scaling assistance.

Scaling is covered by National Health Insurance for all subscribers aged 19 and older once a year at an affordable cost. If you are concerned about the cost of scaling, utilizing this benefit would be a good option.

However, since the rate and cycle of tartar accumulation vary for each individual, it is recommended to have your oral condition checked during scaling at Oksu-dong Dental Clinic to determine your specific tartar accumulation cycle and then undergo scaling every 3 months, 6 months, or once a year accordingly to prevent periodontal disease.

If ‘pungchi’ is already quite advanced and difficult to improve with scaling alone, we assist in improving the patient's periodontal disease symptoms through various methods such as periodontal curettage and root planing.

However, if it is unfortunately determined that natural teeth can no longer be saved, we offer new teeth through nerve treatment to remove contaminated dental nerves, along with navigation implants that involve pre-mapping the path and minimizing gum incision to reduce pain. Additionally, an implant warranty certificate promising aftercare for up to 5 years is issued, so please keep this in mind.

Oksu Station Dental Clinic believes that saving natural teeth is the foundation of all dental treatments. We provide thorough explanations until the patient fully understands, even if it takes time. We maintain strict hygiene based on a 9-step sterilization and disinfection management system and strive to provide dental medical services that satisfy patients from beginning to end.

Oksu-dong Dental Clinic offers evening appointments until 8:30 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays for busy office workers, students, and self-employed individuals. Located just a 1-minute walk from Yaksu Station Exit 6, appointments can be easily made via Naver Reservation, KakaoTalk inquiry, or phone call.

If the treatment period for periodontal disease is missed, it can lead to other systemic diseases. Especially for patients with pre-existing conditions, the risk of systemic disease is high, so I hope you will not delay and actively seek treatment as soon as early symptoms appear, along with regular oral check-ups.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does periodontal disease occur?

Periodontal disease primarily occurs due to plaque and tartar. Plaque is a bacterial film that forms when we eat, and tartar is formed when this combines with food debris and hardens, accumulating between the gums and teeth, causing inflammation.

What are the early symptoms of periodontal disease?

The early stage of periodontal disease, gingivitis, is characterized by swollen or bleeding gums. If your gums bleed during brushing or frequently swell, you should suspect periodontal disease.

What happens if periodontal disease is left untreated?

If periodontal disease is left untreated, it progresses to periodontitis. In severe cases, it can lead to gum pus, extreme pain, receding gums that make teeth appear longer, and eventually, tooth extraction or spontaneous tooth loss.

What are the methods for preventing periodontal disease?

To prevent periodontal disease, it is crucial to practice good oral hygiene, including flossing and brushing within 30 minutes after eating. Additionally, regularly visiting the dentist for scaling and oral check-ups is advisable.

How often should scaling be done?

The frequency of scaling varies for each individual depending on the rate of tartar accumulation. It is best to determine your specific tartar accumulation cycle through an oral check-up at the dental clinic. Generally, it is recommended to have scaling every 3 months, 6 months, or once a year.

What treatments does Oksu-dong Dental Clinic prioritize?

Oksu-dong Dental Clinic prioritizes saving natural teeth. Even if periodontal disease is advanced, we carefully examine methods to save natural teeth before recommending implants, and then proceed with diagnosis and treatment.