Symptoms of periodontitis, inflammation of one of the root shells of the tooth, can occur with acute and chronic forms of this disease with almost the same intensity. Usually it develops as a consequence of advanced caries and its unprofessional treatment, as well as due to an inflamed nerve.
Symptoms of periodontitis and its diagnosis
The mechanism of infection penetration into the root canal and surrounding tissues may be different. But the symptoms of periodontitis are similar in all cases: sharp pain (localized near a certain tooth), which becomes unbearable from touch and from hot drinks, an enlarged tooth syndrome (the patient feels that he is protruding from the gums and becomes mobile), swelling and swelling of soft tissues . This ailment can also provoke a deterioration in the general condition of the patient - the temperature rises, the head may hurt, and the leukocyte count in the blood increases.
Diagnosis of periodontitis is complicated by the fact that the appearance of the periodontal gap practically does not change and the x-ray may not show any signs of the disease.
In order to assess the condition of the tooth, you need the advice of an experienced dentist. Symptoms of periodontitis can be a reaction to medications, systemic diseases (diabetes and some others), and a lack of vitamins in food. Also, the cause may be untimely removal of tartar, poor oral care. Acute periodontitis is accompanied by an abundant development of pathogenic flora on the surface of the gums (staphylococci can be adjacent to pneumococci and streptococci). If it is not treated in a timely manner, then this threatens the destruction of the ligament of the tooth and the surrounding bone tissue.
One of the subspecies of the disease is fibrous periodontitis - the degeneration of periodontium into fibrous tissue. In this case, pathogenic processes are slow, they are difficult to diagnose. Also, for the full picture, granulomatous and granulating periodontitis should be called. The first is characterized by the formation of a connective tissue sac at the apex of one of the tooth roots.
But the appearance of rapidly growing granulation tissues that destroy the alveoli plate is characteristic of such a disease as granulating periodontitis. The medical history in this case often contains information about fistulas that open on the chin or around the jaw. Moreover, the closure of the fistula is usually accompanied by an increase in pathology.
Periodontitis treatment
First, it is necessary to eliminate the focus of acute inflammation and create conditions for the regeneration of a diseased tooth and the restoration of its functions. The dentist will clean the canals, removing from their lumen the remnants of the affected tissue and fillings, if they were delivered. This process occurs in stages using special tools and antiseptic drugs. After cleaning, an antibacterial agent is introduced into the canal, which is left for a day and replaced as necessary with a new portion. After the inflammation is eliminated, it is necessary to stimulate the regeneration of the periodontium and only then make temporary or permanent fillings.