Periodontal Care

You can have a healthy smile that will last a lifetime with proper care.  This means thorough daily brushing, cleaning between teeth and regular checkups to avoid tooth decay and periodontal disease.

Most people know that tooth decay can result in tooth loss if not treated.  But for adults, it is periodontal (gum) disease that is a major cause of tooth loss.

Periodontal disease is caused by bacterial infections that attack gums, ligaments and bone. Although the body has some natural defenses that resist bacterial attacks, these may not fully protect gum and bone tissues from inflammation and infection.

There are several kinds of periodontal disease.  Often painless, these diseases may develop slowly or progress quite rapidly, and they can occur at any age.  Unless you have regular dental checkups, including a periodontal exam, you may not be aware you have a problem until your gums and bone have been seriously compromised.

Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues that support your teeth.

Your gum tissue is not attached to the teeth as high as it may seem - there is a very shallow v-shaped crevice called a sulcus between the tooth and gums.

Periodontal diseases attack just below the gum line in the sulcus, where they cause the attachment of the tooth and its supporting tissues to break down.  As the tissues are damaged, the sulcus develops into a pocket.  Generally, the more severe the disease, the greater the depth of the pocket.

The Warning Signs

If you notice any of the following signs, see your dentist immediately:

• Gums that bleed easily.
• Red, swollen or tender gums.
• Gums that have pulled away from the teeth.
• Pus between the teeth and gums when the gums are pressed.
• Persistent bad breath or bad taste.
• Permanent teeth that are loose or separating.
• Any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite.
• Any changes in the fit of partial dentures.

Preventing Periodontal Diseases

Brush your teeth thoroughly twice a day.  This removes plaque from the outer, inner and chewing surfaces of the teeth.  Choose a soft-bristled toothbrush and replace it every three to four months.  A worn, frayed or hard-bristled brush can injure the gums.

Carefully clean between teeth with dental floss or other interdental cleaners to remove plaque from areas your toothbrush can't reach.  It takes only a few minutes each day.  A lifelong healthy smile is worth your time.

If you need extra help in controlling gingivitis and plaque that forms above the gumline, your dentist may recommend using an antimicrobial mouthrinse as an effective addition to your daily oral hygiene routine.

Eat a balanced diet for good general health.

Schedule regular checkups.

Treating Periodontal Diseases

The first step is usually a thorough cleaning that may include scaling to remove plaque and tartar deposits beneath the gumline.  The tooth roots may also be planed to smooth the root surface allowing the gum tissue to heal and reattach to the tooth.  In some cases, the occlusion (bite) may require adjustment.

Antibiotics or irrigation with antimicrobials (chemical agents or mouthrinses) may be recommended to help control the growth of bacteria that create toxins and cause periodontitis.  In some cases, we may place antibiotics in the periodontal pockets after scaling and planing.  This may be done to control infection and to encourage normal healing.

When deep pockets between teeth and gums (4 to 6 mm or greater) are present, it is difficult for the dentist to thoroughly remove plaque and tartar.  Patients can seldom, if ever, keep these pockets clean and free of plaque.  Consequently, surgery may be needed to restore periodontal health.

Using various surgical techniques, the dentist lifts the gum away to reach areas that require the removal of tartar and plaque, which cause chronic infection and delay healing.  The tooth root is cleaned and smoothed.  The gums are sutured back into place or into a new position that will be easier to keep clean at home.

Periodontal diseases are the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. They are well recognized by the dental profession, and increasingly by the public, to be a significant health problem. Fortunately, with early detection and treatment, it is now possible for most people to retain their teeth for a lifetime. To achieve this goal, every oral examination should include an evaluation of the periodontium.

You Could Lose More Than Your Teeth

Eighty percent of tooth loss is a result of gum disease and if that is not bad enough, research continues to suggest periodontitis is linked to serious systematic disorders.  Many of you are familiar with the study stating individuals with perio disease were reported to be 1.7 times more likely to develop coronary heart disease and 2.6 times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those without perio.

The American Academy of Neurology in 2000 reported that "people who have gum disease may be at a greater risk for stroke due to an increased tendency to have blockages in the carotid arteries."  A study done on carotid arteries removed from stroke patients exhibiting athromatous plaque (hardening of the artery) found 50 percent of the cases contained bacteria normally found in diseased periodontal pockets.  These are just a few of the studies linking periodontal disease to cardiovascular disease.

Diabetes for years has been a systematic disease associated with an increased risk for periodontitis.  Now research indicates gum disease may be more important than obesity or age as a factor in the onset of diabetes in adults.  Another study revealed that patients with periodontitis and Type II diabetes upon completion of periodontal therapy had similar results to patients treated with insulin.

Another startling link between periodontal disease and other serious health concerns is in the area of pre-term, low birth weight babies.  Studies revealed female subjects with periodontal disease were 6.71 times more likely to have a low birth weight infant.  Research at the University of North Carolina in 2002 concludes, "Mothers with periodontal disease have a two-folded increased risk of impaired fetal growth, it can be as high as 6 to 10 times higher if the periodontal disease progresses during pregnancy and if it was severe at the start."

This is just a brief overview of the growing evidence that supports the surgeon generals report "Oral Health in America," which concluded that oral health is essential to general health.  Never before in the history of our profession has the importance of diagnosing and treating periodontal disease been more evident.

Gum Disease Treatment Alternatives Non Surgical Intervention - Perio Protect™

More than 75 % of U.S. adults over 35 have some form of gum disease (or periodontal disease). Most who have the beginning stage of this disease don't even know it.
 
The most severe version of gum disease is known as periodontitis. A less severe version is known as gingivitis. In many cases gingivitis is a precursor to periodontitis so all forms of gum disease should be seen as serious and not neglected. This disease is serious enough to be called the "silent epidemic" by former Surgeon General, David Satcher. It is also known as the "busy person's disease" because people with very busy schedules often neglect their oral hygiene. It can be scary to hear that you have gum disease. Many people become embarrassed when they are told they have gum disease because they feel they have not paid enough attention to their oral hygiene; however, studies show that many adults lose ground even when they brush and floss regularly. A well-known phrase for growing older is growing "long in the tooth." This phrase obviously indicates that it becomes increasingly more difficult to keep good oral hygiene for an entire lifetime.

When the symptoms become severe, with gums bleeding and teeth becoming loose, we tend to start paying attention. Unfortunately this level of belated intervention is now at the crisis level and can cause serious bone, tissue, and tooth loss.
 
Take a moment and view our video on this topic.

The following list represents a few of the concerns people have regarding a periodontal exam or treatment:

• Fear of surgery
• Fear of loss of teeth
• Embarrassment and concern about their bleeding gums
• Sensitive/sore teeth
• Fearful that cleanings will be painful
• Long appointments
• Expensive treatments.

Convenient Comfortable Treatment

In our office the doctor provides various types of intervention treatments for all stages of the disease. Extremely minor symptoms are typically treated non-surgically with some patient education, a professional quality cleaning, and careful attention to follow-up visits.

For patients with moderate gingivitis through severe periodontitis, this office offers the convenient, comfortable Perio Protect™ treatment, which is a method that uses an FDA-cleared medical device that enables dentists in most cases to provide effective treatment with:

• No Painful Scraping
• No Expensive Surgery
• No Lengthy Appointments
• No Shots
• No Pain.

The Perio Protect™ system, which is very easy to use, has been proven in clinical studies to kill harmful bacteria within 72 hours.

Within days of using the medication, inflammation and swelling is reduced and bleeding gum tissue decreases dramatically. Bad breath, for many patients, is eliminated.
 

How it Works