It has been shown that good oral hygiene is necessary for the prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases and more so, gingivitis. Periodontists advice and advocate this very firmly.
Periodontist is a dentist whose area of specialization is periodontics. Periodontics itself is a branch of dentistry that deals with the study, prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases.
Most infections of the periodontium are caused by oral bacteria. These bacteria are present in the oral cavity and overtime, they form the sticky layer on the surface of teeth called plaque. Plaque is removed by everyday brushing. If it is not removed, it accumulates to form calculus. This is very difficult to remove by brushing. The periodontist The role of a periodontist in a periodontal treatment involves removal of adhering plaque and calculus.
This leads to inflammation and infection of the periodontium. The initial stage is called gingivitis. Gingivitis is a milder and reversible form of periodontal disease that affects the gums. The treatment for gingivitis is scaling and root- planning. This is done to remove the plaque and to smooth the root surface. This is carried out by a Periodontist.
If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to more a serious form of periodontal disease called periodontitis. In the advanced stage or periodontitis, the periodontist performs a surgical treatment or flap surgery to cut the gums, remove the calculus and then re-shape or re-contour the bone.
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