How Gum Disease Affects Nearby Oral Tissues
Posted on 10/5/2020 by Dr. Boustany |
 Gum disease is treatable, but, in some instances, the condition may have progressed to levels too severe and even after treatment, adjacent oral tissues remain affected. This could be as a result of late treatment, poor oral hygiene during the treatment or even the use of unorthodox gum disease treatment. Some nearby oral tissues suffer the most, primarily due to delayed treatment. Here is how gum disease affects nearby oral tissues.
Jawbone
Gum disease is as a result of bacteria eating through the gum. In the early stages of the disease progression, treatment could reverse and restore the gum. However, if the treatment is delayed, the bacteria eat away the gum and then progresses to the jawbone. Even after treatment, the integrity of the jawbone remains compromised. This means the tooth there becomes loosely fitted and could fall off anytime.
Anchoring Fibers
During periodontitis, the anchoring fiber, just like the jawbone breaks down. However, for the anchoring fiber, the treatment does not necessarily have to be delayed for long. The bacteria form a coating on the root's surface and eats off the anchoring fiber and as a result, a gum pocket forms along with the tooth. The tooth is no longer stable, and this increases tooth mobility. At this stage, even chewing becomes a problem.
Cheeks
The cheeks as nearby oral tissues could quickly become inflamed as a result of gum disease. Some of the bacteria found in the mouth when suffering from gum disease submerge in the saliva. Since the cheeks host saliva glands, it is easy for bacteria to be transferred from the gums to the cheeks, causing inflammation.
Nerves
The oral cavity hosts many nerves ending, a good number of which are found in the jaw bone. As the bacteria eat off the gum, and the jawbone, they eventually reach the nerves and kill them slowly. Even after gum disease treatment, some of the nerves remain affected and fail to transmit impulses to the brain.
Gum disease is unpleasant, and even after treatment, you could still experience pain, sensory issues or inflammations on oral tissue adjacent to the gum. Please book an appointment with us today in case you experience any of the gum disease symptoms or still spot affected oral tissues after treatment. If you are experiencing any of these oral issues, feel free to contact us for more information on how we can help you alleviate the problems.
|
|
