“The first alarm bell for periodontal disease in general, therefore also for the milder forms, such as gingivitis, is a red gum that bleeds. Bleeding when brushing is already a sign that should raise alarm. We have patients who come to us, to the periodontist or in any case to the dentist, because they report, for example, finding, in the morning, a pillow stained with blood: these are already spontaneous bleedings that give the idea of something more serious. Even noticing that you have loose teeth, or their migration, is another signal. It is important to try to notice the early symptoms and behave accordingly”. This is how Raffaele Cavalcanti, vice president of the Italian Society of Periodontology and Implantology (Sidp), explains to Adnkronos Salute the symptoms and treatments of oral pathology, on the occasion of National Periodontitis Day.
“Like all patients who have other conditions of chronic systemic inflammation, the patient with periodontitis – adds Cavalcanti – must undergo constant therapy that can have an active phase and a support, maintenance phase. The therapy is effective, but then needs a program, personalized reminders over time, based on the initial conditions in which we find our patients and the conditions at the end of the active phase of treatment. The most rigorous intervals, for patients at higher risk, are about 4 months, so 3 times a year. Those with a lower risk profile can have slightly longer intervals”. In this regard, on the incidence of periodontitis, “there is not a great difference between the two genders, but there are lifestyles that are more common in the male population, one above all smoking, for example, or an inadequate diet and, in general, for everyone, lack of physical activity, which are factors that predispose to the disease”.
Technologies “have allowed us, in general, to make giant steps forward – observes the expert – As regards the diagnostic aspect, the reference tool is still manual, the periodontal probe, a kind of very small and thin ruler to measure a series of aspects, but also for example the response to the probing of the tissues with bleeding. Then there are more advanced diagnostic tests, from second level radiology to three-dimensional tests – concludes Cavalcanti – which can integrate the initial diagnostic path that associates, to the periodontal probing, classic two-dimensional radiography, especially for therapeutic programs and for possible surgical paths: for the insertion of implants, second level radiology and 3D images can be useful”.
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