Options for Severe Periodontal Disease

While no one likes to think about their options for severe periodontal disease unless they have to, it's a good idea to know about some of the more progressive treatments for gum disease that are available. We aren't talking about the general run of the mill tooth and gum disease treatments; these are the ones that are used when the only resort left is tooth loss and dentures. Dental disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss and it's good to know that treating periodontal disease is possible and successful. Here are a few of the more commonly used procedures and surgeries for eliminating dental disease.

• flap surgery
• gum grafts
• bone grafts

Clearly, none of the above sound like much fun. However they are better than the alternative. Flap surgery is one of the gingivitis and periodontal disease treatments that can save you from dentures. This periodontal gum disease treatment is much like the simpler scaling and root planting procedure used in the early stages of gum disease. The biggest difference is that the dentist will cut and peel the skin of the gums back, creating a flap, to access the damaged teeth root areas more easily. The gum disease infection is then removed and the gums are able to recover without fighting the problems periodontal disease causes.

Gum grafts are a fascinating development in this field. When the receding gums have become so damaged that they are no longer viable, tissue from the top of the mouth or even from a donor can be used to replace the diseased tissue. This procedure eliminates the gum disease bacteria and covers the painful, exposed teeth roots. It may take several attempts to ensure that your gum health has been restored.

Another method dental professionals have for restoring periodontal health is bone grafts. As in depth as gum grafts sound, bone grafts are even more so. The periodontist will attempt to replace eroded jaw bone tissue with the patient's own bone or an adequate synthetic bone material. Without this procedure, the gums have no support and the teeth are pretty much a lost cause. Gum disease is one of the most common dental problems, but in its later stages requires serious work to repair all of the damage.

The keys to success in the battle against gum disease and most oral problems are hidden in nature. Fighting the bacteria that causes the problem is the first place to start and specific species of peppermint and spearmint oils are scientifically proven to be anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-microbial. Get your mouth in mint condition today!