Duration of the healing process
Also during the healing process, a distinction must be made between simple gingivitis and periodontal inflammation (periodontitis). If the inflammation is only acute and has not yet established itself, it heals within 1-2 weeks. This is the ideal case.
It is of course necessary to go to the dentist immediately and start treatment. Consistent oral hygiene of the patient is also important. If the teeth are not cleaned correctly at least twice a day, there is no chance of healing.
On the contrary, the condition will continue to deteriorate. This can lead to periodontitis. If this is not treated, the entire healing process takes up to 6 months. The prerequisite for this is that oral hygiene is then maintained so that there is no relapse.
Duration of antibiotic use
The length of time it is taken varies depending on the severity of the periodontitis (inflammation of the tooth bed). In addition, the various antibiotics with different active ingredients differ in the length of time they are taken. The most common duration of administration is one week.
The dosage per day varies again. There are drugs that are taken in the morning, at noon, or in the evening with food, or tablets that are only taken once a day. Ciproflaxin 250, for example, is taken for 10 days, twice a day. Tetracycline 250 is taken for 21 days because of its low active ingredient content. So it depends on which bacterial strains are combated by which active substance – the duration of intake changes depending on this.
Duration of sick leave
You cannot expect to be on sick leave as a matter of principle. An inflammation of the gums is usually not a disease that worsens the general condition to such an extent that one could no longer work. Even periodontitis, i.e. an inflammation of the entire periodontium, is not an acute problem.
During the treatment of the inflammation, however, greater pain can occur. If, for example, an operation is performed and the gums are opened, one could ask for a health insurance certificate the following day, as the gums are very sensitive due to the many small cuts and sutures. In addition, it depends on the profession of the patient, it makes a difference whether one works as a construction worker and inhales fine particles of dust, which could disturb the healing of wounds, or whether one sits in the office all day and hardly does any physical activity.
Duration of symptoms
The duration varies depending on the severity of the inflammation. Even weak inflammations cause reddening of the gums. This symptom can easily disappear as soon as the inflammation subsides.
Small blisters on the gums are usually present for 9 days. A motto is “3 days come, 3 days stay, 3 days go”. The blisters are usually sensitive to pressure and hurt when touched.
If the inflammation is more advanced, the gums bleed when touched with the tooth probe at the dentist. A further step is that the gums start bleeding when brushing the teeth. The reason for this is the increased blood circulation of the gums.
This symptom remains until the permeability of the blood vessels is normalised again. This can only be achieved by careful hygiene. The bad breath symptom can occur because it is often difficult to clean the painful areas properly.
Other symptoms include receding gums and even bone loss if the periodontitis has not been treated. Bone that has already receded will not recover. The consequences are hypersensitivity to intense heat and extreme cold.
If necessary, the tooth gets used to it over time. Otherwise there is the possibility of protecting the exposed neck of the tooth with a filling. In addition, there are nowadays procedures in which bone can be rebuilt and the gums can cover the tooth neck again.
