Pyorrhea
The Pyorrhea, also known as periodontitis, is a multifactorial disease affecting oral health. It is an inflammation caused by bacteria, which can affect causing halitosis (bad smell of the mouth), gingival recession, destruction of the support bone of the tooth and, in the worst case, cause even the loss of the tooth. Simply means, when our gums suffer from pyorrhea, the mouth is in a state of danger in which it requires specific treatment and care. Approximately 53% of adults aged 20 and older people have such type of gum disease.
Types –
These are some of the most common types of Pyorrhea:
• Chronic Pyorrhea
This is the most common type of pyorrhea. It is caused by gradual plaque buildup, which then causes gum recession and bone deterioration. It is known to mostly affect adults, but children too can be prone to this type if dental hygiene is neglected.
• Aggressive Pyorrhea
It is a hereditary type of Pyorrhea. Therefore you would need your family to get checked for Pyorrhea too if you have been suffering from it. Without treatment, this type will cause rapid progression of bone loss, eventually causing tooth loss or a fracture.
• Necrotizing Pyorrhea
This is the worst type of pyorrhea that involves the death of supporting bone, gum tissue and tooth ligaments caused by lack of blood supply, which eventually results in severe infection. This type mostly affects people who have a weak immune system, which may be due to HIV infection or cancer treatment. Malnutrition and poor food habits can also be a cause.
Symptoms –
Detecting pyorrhea is very simple, since it causes alterations in the mouth and the symptoms are very obvious which includes –
• Swollen gums
• Gum color dark red, bright red, or purple
• Receding gums
• Frequent gum bleeding
• Bad breath or halitosis
• Tooth movements
• Tooth sensitivity
• Chewing discomfort
Causes –
Pyorrhea is an oral condition occurring due to plaque build-up along gum lines. Plaque is a sticky inflexible film, laden with bacteria that keep emitting acids and toxins harmful to the teeth, gums as well as bones in the mouth. It leads to disease and loss of bone & teeth.
If left untreated, plaque gets converted into a hard calcified structure known as calculus or Tartar.
This tartar is the root cause of gum inflammation, bleeding, paining and receding- all signs of pyorrhea.
Patients usually ignore the development of the disease because it doesn’t cause pain for a long time. In most cases, they think that bleeding gums are the result of strong brushing.
The main causes of pyorrhea are –
• poor oral hygiene
• bad brushing technique
• vitamin C and vitamin D deficiencies
• mineral deficiency that weaken the immune system
• diabetes
• cardiac medications
• genetic predisposition
• smoking
Complications –
•Recurrent gum boils (painful masses of pus)
• Progressive damage to the ligaments that connect the tooth to its socket
• Loss of the alveolar bone – the bone in the jaw that contains tooth sockets.
• Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis or ANUG
Treatment –
• Regular scaling and polishing is necessary to remove hard tartar, trapped food, and plaque, which can cause tooth decay and gum disease. The gum may bleed during treatment or may be sensitive for several days after the procedure.
• It is very important to learn and apply the proper brushing techniques at least twice a day. Flossing also helps to remove plaque from those areas where a toothbrush doesn’t completely reach.
• In more severe cases, further conservative treatment and surgery is required.
• In case of moving teeth, replacement of the missing bone tissue (Guided Tissue Regeneration) and crown can be the proper solution.
Ayurvedic Perspective –
In Ayurveda Pyorrhea is known as ‘Putidanta or Dantaveshta’. According to Ayurvedic texts, pyorrhea reflects vitiation of rasa and rakta dhatus.
Ayurvedic treatment consists of both internal and external medication. Digestion is regained with herbal treatments, which helps in the proper daily elimination of toxins. Cleansing herbs for the blood are need to be given and tooth powders prescribed to eliminate pus formation and bleeding.
▪︎ Beneficial Herbs
• Arjun (Terminalia Arjuna)
• Dalchini (Cinnamomum Zeylanica)
• Amalak (Emblica Officinalis)
• Vibhitaki(Terminalia Belerica)
• Guggul (Commiphora Mukul)
• Neem (Azadirachta Indica)
▪︎ Home Remedies
• Use Ayurvedic tooth powders for prevention and cure of pyorrhoea.
• Take 3-4 black raisins with water and a pinch of rock salt at bedtime. This helps to cure pyorrhoea.
• Massage your gums with licorice root powder mixed with honey. It is good in pyorrhea.
• Rub rock salt, powder of pomegranate rind or camphor powder on gums to improve oral hygiene and prevents pyorrhea.
• Drink juices of carrot and spinach for relief in pyorrhoea.
• Gargling with warm sesame oil or decoctions of Triphala or some other Ayurvedic herbs prevents infections in oral cavity and even help in curing pyorrhoea.
• Applying sesame oil or mustard oil on gums and teeth reduces bacterial growth in oral cavity and prevents pyorrhoea.
Prevention –
Gum disease is a very common disease, for this reason we want to providethe main keys that will help prevent dental pyorrhea.
• It is recommended to have a good habit of daily dental hygiene at home: brushing your teeth after every meal, using dental floss and mouthwash.
• Prefer to use of the electric toothbrush in place of the manual will allow you to access areas of the mouth with difficult access.
• Pay attention to your mouth andsee if plaque has built up between your teeth or if your gums bleed.
• It is highly advisable to perform deep dental cleanings at the hands of a specialist, at least once a year.
• Visit your dentist regularly to prevent the development of dental pyorrhea
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