What do you mean by Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal (gum) diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis, are serious infections that, left untreated, can lead to tooth loss. The word periodontal literally means “around the tooth.” Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth.
Periodontal disease can affect one tooth or many teeth. It begins when the bacteria in plaque (the sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth) causes the gums to become inflamed.
Periodontal disease negatively affects the gums and bone that supports the teeth. It can be split into 2 different types:-
1. Gingivitis:
In this stage the gums become swollen or red and might even bleed sometimes.
2. Periodontitis:
This occurs when the inflammation spreads to the other tissues that surround the teeth. The gums are no longer attached to the teeth and the bone shrinks. In extreme cases the teeth can become loose.
Periodontitis is a chronic infectious inflammation around the gums as well as the tooth. The symptoms of this disease are bad breath that will not leave you, swollen red gums, bleeding gums, sensitive teeth and pain when chewing. Symptoms are usually subtle in the initial stage of periodontal disease. The symptoms of this disease are shown in the later stages only. So it is very important for you to get a dental check up done regularly. That is the only thing that will help you know about the disease early.
The causes of this disease are poor oral health, some medications, smoking and even genetic problems. The recent study has proved that the periodontitis disease has increased the risk of mouth cancer. Dr. Mine Terzal from the well known University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine in New York and his colleagues made comparisons between 51 white men having mouth cancer with 54 cancers free controls who were seen at the same time. This study did not include people who are less than 21 years of age, those who have had malignancy and those who have a poor immune system. This study has shown that people suffering with periodontal disease have a greater risk of getting mouth cancer.
Stages of Periodontal Disease
Healthy Teeth & Gums
- In healthy gums, the gingival or gum tissue is a pink or coral color.
- The tissue is firm and resilient and there will be minimal, if any, crevice or pocket depth.
Gingivitis
- At the stage referred to as ‘gingivitis’ the gingival or gum tissue will be inflamed at the neck of the tooth, as opposed to the pinkish color indicated in #1. There will be some pocket depth and gingival bleeding on probing (BOP).
- There will not be any deterioration of supporting tooth structure.
Early Periodontitis
- Inflammation of periodontal ligaments and minor loss of attachment or pocket development.
- No tooth mobility at this stage. No connective tissue loss.
Moderate Periodontitis
- Moderate loss of attachment and/or moderate to deep pocket formation.
- 30%-50% loss of bone support and slight tooth mobility.
Advanced Periodontitis
- Advanced breakdown of supporting periodontal tissues. Severe pocket depth or significant gingival recession.
- Severe loss of attachment.
- Greater than 50% loss of bone support and considerable tooth mobility.
What do you mean by Oral Cancer?
Oral cancer is a cancer occurring in any part of the mouth such as in the lips, on the tongue, in the gums or any part in the mouth. It is recommended that you go for oral cancer screening to detect any abnormalities in your mouth. The factors that increase the risk of developing cancer are excessive consumption of alcohol, tobacco use and even the people who have previously identified with this disease before.
The first sign of oral cancer is often a tiny white or red spot in the mouth, but the disease can be detected before a sore appears. In the last two or three years, manufacturers have produced noninvasive devices for detecting abnormal tissue that may be invisible to the naked eye, and some dentists are beginning to use them, even though their effectiveness remains controversial.
There is more to good oral health than conscientious brushing and flossing, even though they remain important. “You have to take care of your mouth like any other part of the body.”
Link between Oral Cancer and Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease and mouth cancer are both located in the mouth and until lately there was no connection found between the two. However, some research suggests that there might be a link between the two. Many studies suggest that people who suffer with periodontal disease have an increased risk of getting oral cancer. This is something which is totally new to many people.
There are various causes of mouth cancer such as unhealthy diet, poor diet, increased tobacco and alcohol consumption. There are also many types of oral cancer such as tongue, gum, lips etc. Men over the age of 60 years have a higher risk of getting this disease. The risk is less in men under 40 years of age and very low in women.
In the initial stage of the mouth cancer, a small lump or in some cases even a thick white spot appears in the mouth. Some people suffer with an persistent ulcer. In the primary stage, if it is not treated at the right time then the cancer cells can spread rapidly. In extreme cases it can spread to other parts of the mouth like gums, neck, lymph nodes, lower jaw etc.
You might be thinking “how can you know whether you have oral cancer or not?” There are various symptoms that give you an idea, they are:
• Lips becoming pink and white or only white
• Spots inside the mouth that are a different colour to the rest of the mouth
• A sore inside the mouth or sometimes on the lip that will not heal.
• Difficulty in swallowing food
• Loose teeth
If you get oral cancer, there are many treatments available. There are medications possible for all the diseases. There various treatments to get rid of cancer such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery. More than one treatment might be required for oral cancer depending on the patient’s stage, the type of cancer, its location and size.
Surgery for oral cancer is often used to remove the tumor from the mouth. Radiation therapy is an important treatment and is given only in the affected area. This treatment is for people having small cancerous tumor. This therapy might also be used before or after the surgery to try and shrink or eradicate the remaining cancer cells.
There are two kinds of radiation therapy used to treat oral cancer. One is external radiation therapy and the other is internal radiation therapy. In the external radiation therapy the radiation comes from a machine. On the other hand, with internal radiation therapy the radiation comes from a radioactive material which can be placed inside the tumour or administered in the veins.
One of the best ways to know about any oral disease is to have regular examination of your mouth. For good oral hygiene it is recommended that you brush your teeth and gums twice a day and visit the dentist regularly.
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