Not tooth decay but inflamed gums are the most common cause of tooth loss. Untreated, plaque bacteria and the body’s own immune reactions they trigger, attack the supporting bone and the retaining fibre of our teeth. Teeth are no longer firmly held and eventually fall out.

Periodontitis and gingivitis – a brief explanation

Gingivitis is the inflammation of the soft gum tissue that surrounds the tooth. A bacterial deposit causes it. The gums are red and swollen – our immune systems direct reaction to these bacteria. The gums bleed easily upon touch. If not treated, gingivitis can develop into full periodontitis.

In hard to reach areas of the gums bacteria continue to grow unchecked and destroy structures further down and finally all the way to the jaw bone and indeed may enter the blood stream in cases of low immune defences. Receding gums and the loss of bone structure weaken the retaining apparatus. The result is loss of teeth.

What should we do if our teeth are already infected?

A third of all people over the age of 60 will have developed a strong case of periodontitis. They are in serious danger of eventually losing all their teeth. However, this does not need to be an irrevocable fate. Everybody is able to keep his or her own teeth to a very old age today.

First phase of periodontitis treatment

Following diagnosis, a dentist in your home country will first of all professionally clean your teeth. With the use of ultrasound and other technologies both hardened and soft tooth deposits are removed. In addition, the patient is tutored on how to properly use a toothbrush, dental floss or inter-dental brushes to develop the best possible dental hygiene routine.

Then the dentist cleans out and disinfects the periodontal pockets where the bacteria have established themselves. He or she carries out a so-called curettage whereby the pockets are cleaned out with special instruments. Following this treatment, the bones are able to regenerate.

Second phase of the periodontitis treatment at the Dentaprime dental clinic

In more serious cases of periodontitis where there is considerable bone degeneration and the necks of the teeth are exposed, the patient visits the Dentaprime dental clinic for a second phase of the treatment. In these cases, the Dentaprime dentist fills the affected areas with bone augmentation material and covers the intraosseous pocket with a self-dissolving membrane. Exposed necks of teeth are covered up again with gums in a plastic reconstruction procedure. The aim is to regenerate the retaining apparatus of the tooth as well as the gums in terms of both functionality and appearance.

What costs should you expect? How much can you save thanks to Dentaprime?

In your home country, reconstruction of the bones and gums can cost several thousands of Euros. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to carry out the second phase of the treatment at the Dentaprime dental clinic.

The dentist in your home country prepares the personal dental treatment plan and carries out the first phase of the treatment. Reconstruction of the bones and gums is then cost-effectively carried out at the Dentaprime dental clinic in Bulgaria. For routine dental checks and dental hygiene, patients return to their own dentist in their home country.

Why brushing alone will not protect you

Many patients with periodontitis and gingivitis assure us that they brush their teeth twice every day.  Apparently, for many, this is not sufficient.  You better play it safe and keep the bacteria in your oral cavity in control.

• Brush your teeth at least twice per day, especially before going to sleep. During the sleep, the salivary glands seclude only little saliva, which therefore cannot go into its mildly disinfecting effect. Do not eat in between brushing and before going to bed.
• Floss daily or, in case of bigger spaces between the teeth, use an interdental toothbrush. A specialized dental hygienist at your own dental practice can tutor you on the correct use of toothbrush and dental floss.
• Use a strong mouth wash every morning and evening, e.g.  listerine. Although it cannot and should not replace the toothbrush, it helps to reduce the germ-load in the mouth.
• Do not rely on a tongue cleaner. Up to 60% of  the germs in the oral cavity are on the tongue!
• Visit the dentist for regular check-ups and have him/her do a professional cleaning every six months.

Continue to Part II: Heart attack, pneumonia, diabetes and cancer: more and more studies show that chronic gum disease increases the risk of life-shortening diseases...
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