Question:
How long does it generally take for gingivitis to progress to
periodontis? If it's difficult to say how long "generally", then what
is the longest amount of time you've ever seen it take? The shortest?
I ask this question because of a concern I have -- that is, is the
average person who visits the dentist every six months likely to catch
the gingivitis before it becomes periodontis? Or would it be possible
to someone to develop both gingivitis and periodontis in a span of six
months?
Answer:
You must brush and floss your natural teeth daily.
To re-iterate "Every Day"
Once periodontal disease takes hold, it is very difficult
to arrest the process.
If you refuse to clean your own teeth.... expect considerable
expense to repair the damage.
If your hygiene does not improve, expect additional problems.
Excellent question. Difficult to answer.
In general, the better your oral hygiene routine, the better your chance of
keeping your mouth healthy.
Having said that though, some people seem to have a genetic predisposition
to periodontal disease. So, even if they follow excellent oral hygiene,
they may require close monitoring and extra cleanings a year (up to 4
maybe).
It's all got to do with bacteria control. Some people can tolerate bacteria
in their mouth better than others.
What you want is this: a dental office that monitors your periodontal
health. Most offices do this, I'm sure. There should be a hygienist, but
if not, maybe the dentist is watching for it. There should be a periodontal
page in your chart, where probe readings are charted at least once a year,
(and also bleeding, recession, and other indicators of perio health) If
areas are deep and/or bleeding, the cleanings should be tailored to healing
up those spots. Your home care routine in conjunction with the office
cleaning can usually keep the mouth healthy.
If you smoke ... that's a bummer. Reduced healing. My most
difficult/infected patients are smokers.
Time span - that's difficult. Rarely teens and those in 20's get
periodontal disease. More likely it is towards middle age. Tartar building
up under the gums is bad news, collects lots of bacteria, & increases
infection. Perio disease often moves along in spurts. So, sudden bone loss
and then long periods of less activity. Stress also affects it. (Affects
how your body reacts to the bacteria. It's all about bacteria control) If a
person is going to the dentist every 6 months, and is getting probe readings
done, I think that the bells will go off before bone loss occurs. I will
probably be warning the person that some areas are deeper, bleeding more,
etc. I think in general, these signs will show up first in 6 months, before
bone loss.
So far as I am aware, every U.S. jurisdiction actually REQUIRES that
the dentist not only "watch" for periodontal disease, but diagnose and
treat it as well (or refer the patient for treatment).
