Gum (or periodontal) disease is caused by bacterial infections of the soft tissues and bone that support the teeth. This disease can cause destruction of this tissue and bone, and can lead to tooth loss. Some people believe that tooth loss is a natural aging process, but if you work with your dentist to keep your gums healthy, you can keep your teeth for the rest of your life.
The main goals of periodontal treatment are:
- Eliminate the bacterial infections that cause gum disease.
- Control the inflammatory process responsible for the destruction of the tissues that support the tooth.
- To create a healthy periodontal environment, making it easier for the patient and the dentist to maintain.
It is very important for the patient to know that periodontal treatment is not definitively curative, but will require chronic maintenance. As always with oral treatments, the risk of failure of periodontal treatment is several times higher if you are a smoker than if you are a non-smoker.
