Periodontology

Plaque irritates the gums: they turn red, may swell, start to bleed and become sensitive. If it is not cleaned away, plaque builds up and tartar hardens around the tooth. Together, plaque and tartar destroy the gum tissue that is in contact with the tooth. Gum pockets form, they fill with plaque, and in the end the bone that holds the teeth is damaged.

Gum disease progresses slowly and in most cases people do not suspect it. The gums bleed slightly, but there is no severe pain – so it gets no attention and the damage progresses unnoticed.

Diagnosis is not difficult, and detection at an early stage is a prerequisite for successful treatment and keeping the teeth. A panoramic X-ray shows the condition of the bones that support the teeth and is very important for establishing how far the disease has progressed.

Tartar

Tartar is mineralised dental plaque – a soft amorphous deposit on the tooth surfaces, at first colourless and invisible to the eye. It is less common in children and more common in adults. Toxic bacterial products build up on its rough surface and harm the neighbouring gum structures.

By its location, tartar is supragingival or subgingival. Supragingival tartar can be seen on the crowns of the teeth around the gum line; in smokers, or when it is old, its colour is darker. It is softer than subgingival tartar, which is harder to detect: it lies deep in the gum pocket and is quite difficult to clean away.

Treatment: therapeutic treatment and periodontal surgery.