«Take care
of your
gums.»
Marianne Müller took a long journey to combat periodontitis. Today she feels good about her teeth. However, she regrets not having started treatment earlier.
The little bit of blood that appeared while brushing her teeth didn’t bother Marianne Müller (69). "I had no pain," she says. And concluded that the situation couldn’t be that bad. That changed abruptly in 2008 when she realized that two of her teeth were loose. Marianne Müller already knew at that time that her dental health was not in good shape. "The dentist had long wanted to refer me to a specialist in periodontology," she says. But the patient stubbornly refused. "I didn’t see the point and thought it was enough to go for a dental cleaning twice a year," says Marianne Müller. She had never really paid much attention to her teeth, she notes.
When the sudden loss of two teeth was imminent, the situation changed: Marianne Müller was referred to a specialist dentist. The diagnosis of periodontitis hit her hard. Many of her teeth were surrounded by so-called periodontal pockets. The cause was deposited bacteria that led to inflammation and attacked the entire periodontium. It is typical of periodontitis that symptoms only appear when the disease is already advanced.
Marianne Müller was inevitably subjected to surgery to clean the infected tooth roots. After the treatment, there was an improvement. Initially, the patient took the follow-up care and prophylaxis seriously and went for regular check-ups. She also paid more attention to oral hygiene. She learned to clean her interdental spaces with suitable brushes and to care for them with effective gels. Nevertheless, new periodontal pockets developed over time. "Periodontitis is persistent," she notes.
In 2020, when a specialist periodontist opened a practice in her area, Marianne Müller saw it as a "stroke of luck" – and made a new start. "The travel distance is now shorter for me, and the motivation is higher." In the case of periodontitis, this is an essential aspect because anyone who wants to keep the disease under control must stay on top of it for a lifetime. The treating specialist dentist, Dr. Christin Stöcklin-Wasmer, diagnosed moderate periodontitis in Marianne Müller. "Although the patient had already been in therapy before, local areas of inflammation were still present during the examination," she says. Further interventions are necessary to eliminate periodontitis. In an initial hygiene phase, a comprehensive dental cleaning is carried out; in a second step, the inflamed tissue is surgically removed. At the same time, the bone damaged by the chronic inflammation is rebuilt. Dr. Christin Stöcklin-Wasmer summarizes the treatment goal, which takes about half a year: "The regression of all periodontal pockets and the healing of the inflammation." This is the basis for a healthy periodontium. "I repeatedly observe that patients’ quality of life improves when they can chew well and laugh without shame," says the specialist dentist.
Thanks to the latest microsurgery and minimally invasive procedures, the therapy causes hardly any pain. After the operation, the maintenance phase begins. During this period, the specialist dentist monitors the progress at intervals of about three months. She performs a thorough dental cleaning for the patient each time, which prevents the formation of new periodontal pockets. "I feel good about my teeth today," Marianne Müller is pleased.
The patient is grateful that the periodontist carefully informed her about the disease and the therapeutic measures. She also made an agreement with her: "If pain occurs during a treatment, I will be given an injection," she says. In the meantime, she has been able to overcome her fear of dental procedures, and now she gives her teeth the attention they need. Because she knows: "Chronic inflammation of the gums puts a significant strain on the body and can not only lead to tooth loss but also cause secondary diseases in the long run." Marianne Müller, therefore, recommends that all those affected consult a specialist dentist at the first sign of periodontitis.
Almost half of the Swiss population suffers from chronic gum inflammation. Signs of periodontitis include bleeding gums, bad breath, gum recession, and loose teeth. Because the disease causes no pain, it is often only detected and treated late. "Many people, however, feel that something is wrong with their dental health," says Dr. Christin Stöcklin-Wasmer. She, therefore, advises not to waste valuable time in case of uncertainty and to consult a specialist immediately.
Therapy consists of several stages and is ideally carried out by a specialist periodontist. The treatment usually causes little pain, and the costs are manageable. Early intervention can prevent impending tooth loss – and thus also high follow-up costs.
Information and list of periodontologists: parodontologie.ch.