The
toxins released by the bacteria in dental plaque which has
accumulated along the gum margin for a period of time irritate
the periodontal tissues (tooth supporting tissues) and lead
to Periodontal Disease.
Under the following situations, you are prone to having Periodontal Disease:
Accumulation of dental plaque
Wearing dentures that are not thoroughly cleaned Dental plaque and food debris easily accumulate in the space between the denture and the gingivae (gum).
Accumulation of calculus The rough surface of calculus allows dental plaque to build up more easily.
Irregular teeth The irregular alignment of teeth makes it difficult to clean these teeth.
Smoking
Smokers have five times greater chance to suffer from Periodontal Disease than non-smokers because:
Early
symptoms of Periodontal Disease is less noticeable in
smokers Smoking makes early
symptoms of Periodontal Disease such as swollen gums
and bleeding while brushing less noticeable because
chemicals in cigarettes such as nicotine cause blood
vessel constriction. As the bleeding symptom is not
obvious, it is not easy to discover that the gingivae
have been inflamed. As a result, the Periodontal Disease
will aggravate unnoticed.
Smoking
lowers the body resistance and therefore lowers the
healing capability of patients with Periodontal Disease Nicotine in cigarettes
lowers the healing capability of oral tissues, retards
the healing process and causes the Periodontal Disease
to worsen.
Stress
Stress lowers the body resistance towards illnesses including Periodontal Disease.
Hormonal changes during pregnancy
Because of the hormonal changes during pregnancy, the periodontal tissue of an expectant mother is more susceptible to the irritation of toxins released by the dental plaque, resulting in red, swollen and bleeding gums. This is called “Pregnancy Gingivitis”.
Systemic diseases
Systemic
diseases such as Diabetes Mellitus, Leukaemia, and AIDS,
lower the resistance of the periodontal tissues towards
bacterial infection. Bacteria inside the dental plaque
will intrude and cause Periodontal Disease if the oral
cavity isn't thoroughly cleaned. Furthermore, the healing
capability is also lowered in patients suffering from
these diseases, and it is more difficult for them to
recover from Periodontal Disease. Therefore, Periodontal
Disease is more progressive and severe in these patients.
Intake of medications
Intake
of medications such as anti-hypertensive and anti-convulsant
drugs stimulate the multiplication and activity of fibroblasts
(a type of cells) in the gingivae and causes gingival
swelling. Dental plaque that accumulates in the swollen
gingivae is difficult to be cleaned, which leads to
more gingival inflammation and further swelling.
