What is the ‘Red Complex,’ a bacterium to watch out for in periodontal disease?

Hello, this is SACHI Dental Clinic in Shiba Park and Mita!

This time, we will discuss in detail the bacteria that cause periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the gums and bone. Many bacteria exist in the mouth, but are you aware of the three particularly important bacterial groups known as the “red complex”?

What is the Red Complex?

It is a general term for ‘three representative types of bacteria’ that are considered to have a particularly strong ability to advance periodontal disease among the many periodontal bacteria.

1. P. gingivalis (Porphyromonas gingivalis)
2. T. forsythia (Tannerella forsythia)
3. T. denticola (Treponema denticola)

It is said that if these three bacteria become established together, the risk of periodontal disease worsening increases rapidly.

Why is it called ‘to watch out for’?

When the Red Complex becomes dominant, it tends to cause the following problems.

• Intensifies inflammation and bleeding of the gums
• Deepens periodontal pockets and expands the habitat of bacteria
• Increases the risk of dissolving the bone (alveolar bone) that supports the teeth

In other words, it is likely to directly lead to the ‘severe’ stage of periodontal disease. In particular, P. gingivalis (P.g. bacteria) has the ability to worsen the surrounding environment even in very small amounts and make other bacteria more violent, so it is marked as a ‘keystone bacterium of periodontal disease’.

Periodontal disease is a ‘controllable disease’

I’ve told you about scary bacteria, but please rest assured.
Periodontal disease is a disease that can be prevented (stopped from progressing) by maintaining the balance of bacteria with proper care.

• Careful daily brushing (self-care)
• Regular cleaning at the dental clinic (professional care)
• Use of care products with antibacterial effects

By continuing these practices, you can create an oral environment in which the Red Complex is less likely to increase.
The important thing is to accumulate small daily habits. If you think ‘maybe?’, please feel free to contact our clinic first. Let’s start together with care that you can do without difficulty.

We also provide detailed information on ‘SP-T Gel (Renewed Version),’ a gel that penetrates and sterilizes the inside of biofilms such as ‘P.g. bacteria,’ the strongest periodontal bacteria introduced this time, and prevents gingivitis and periodontitis.
https://sachi-dent.com/sp-tジェルplus/

If you would like to know which toothbrush or toothpaste is right for your mouth, please consult with our hygienist.