What
is Gum Disease?
Gum
disease or periodontal disease or gingivitis as it is also called is
the
number one cause of tooth loss today. The reason you loose teeth from
gum disease is because this disease attacks the gums as well as the
bone, which are the foundation in which your teeth rest. As the bone
literally dissolves away from around your teeth, your teeth become loose
and eventually fall out.
Anyone
at any age is susceptible to gum disease. Gum disease is caused by plaque.
If the plague is not removed on a daily basis it will form calculus,
which
is the breeding ground for the germs which cause gum disease. Bleeding
gums are the first sign that there may be a problem with the gums. Puffy,
tender red gums are also a sign that there is an infection present.
Bleeding gums however are not always present even in severe cases of
gum disease.
Routine
and regular visits to your dentist are the best way of catching gum
disease in its early stages before too much damage has been caused.
Gum disease will not go away by itself or with improved home care. The
only way of removing plaque deep under the gums is with professional
cleanings. Once you have had a gum problem you will always be susceptible
to recurring problems, so be sure to see your dentist on a regular basis
- every three to four months, unless he or she recommends otherwise.
Why
can't you just clean my teeth?
Periodontal
disease is a serious infection. Evidence now links gum disease to a
variety of health concerns, including heart diease, stoke, diabetes,
and other degenerative diseases that are like threatening. It's not
just about your teeth anymore!
Periodontal
disease can be a disfiguring disease. Your gums swell in size and become
red and angry looking. They may bleed very readily. Your teeth may shift
and dark spaces between your teeth may start showing. The teeth then
become loose and may need to be removed.
Early
detection as with other diseases is the key to successful treatment.
Your dentist or hygienist should routinely perform a gum (periodontal)
disease screening exam. This is recommended at least once a year by
the American Dental Association. The results of this examination will
determine your periodontal status. If you have periodontal disease,
your treatment will be personalized for you and your level of infection.
A routine cleaning is not enough by itself to treat periodontal disease.
The
Link Between Gum Disease and Health Concerns....
The
oral bacteria that is found in patient's with periodontal disease can
enter into the the blood stream. From here the bacteria can travel throughout
the body. Inflammation sets in, but your body's immune response sometime
falls short . . . These bacterial colonies can cause serious problems
such as:
- Stroke
- a new study of fatty deposits lodged in carotid arteries of
stroke sufferers shows that 70% contain bacteria - and 40% of
that bacteria comes from the mouth.
- Heart
Disease - Studies have found the incidence of heart
disease is about twice as high in people with periodontal disease.
Bacteria get mixed up with blood-clotting cells called platelets,
forming a clump that travels through the blood vessels. These
clumps of cells and bacteria irritate vessel walls and may promote
formation of heat stopping blood clots. The inflammation
also produces a protein that can irritate the interior of blood
vessels, creating sites where fatty deposits can form.
- Infective
Endocarditis, a potentially
fatal disease in which the inner lining of the heart becomes
inflamed.
- Diabetes
- Studies have shown that diabediabetics with gum disease were
three times more likely to have heart attacks than those without
gum disease.
- Spontaneous
pre-term births - women with gum disease are 7 to
8 times more likely to give birth prematurely to low-birth-weight
babies. Researchers believe that the low-grade infection causes
damaged cells to release inflammation causing substances that
have been linked with pre-term births.
- Lung
Infections
in people with chronic lung diseases.
- A
weakened immune system that can slow
wound healing and diminish a person's response to
hepatitis B and flu vaccines.
- Tooth
Loss
|
Summary
- Signs of Periodontal disease
If
you notice any of the following signs, please call and make an appointment
with your dentist immediately
 |
Gums
that bleed when you brush your teeth
|
|
Red,
swollen, puffy or tender gums
|
|
Gums
that have pulled away from the teeth
|
|
Bad
breath, that just does not want to go away
|
|
Exudate
or pus that is between your teeth
|
|
A
loose or several loose teeth
|
|
A
change in the way your teeth come together when you close your
mouth
|
|
Any
change in the way your partial dentures fit
|
What
is Root Planing?
Normal
tooth cleanings remove plaque and calculus deposits from above the gum
line. When these deposits extend below the gum line, root planing is
necessary.
Root
planing is performed with the same tools as normal cleanings, but the
procedure is more aggressive. Often it is necessary to numb the affected
area before the procedure. Once the accumulated plaque and calculus
have been removed, the gums will heal, tightening around the teeth.
Depending
upon the extent of disease found in the examination, root planing may
be done over several office visits. In this way, your dentist can assess
the progress of treatment, and alter tactics if necessary.
Simply
stated, root planing may be considered as an extension of a "routine
cleaning". A "routine cleaning" is intended to clean
harden deposits that form above the gums. Over time, these deposits
often form below the gums, on the roots. It is at this point that we
recommend a more therapeutic procedure, called root planing.
WHAT
DOES IT ACCOMPLISH?
 |
During
this procedure the root surfaces are literally planed. This accomplishes
several things:
|
|
removes
hard deposits and the bacteria they harbor
|
|
creates
a smooth root surface that is easier to keep clean
|
|
reduces
infection because the bacteria will not reattach to the smooth
surface as readily
|
HOW
QUICKLY WILL I HEAL?
Periodontal
therapy represents a partnership between you and your periodontal team.
If we each do our part, you will achieve the maximum benefit from this
procedure. Your results will be affected by:
|
how
effective you perform your home care
|
|
diet
|
|
smoking
|
|
stress
|
It
is unrealistic to consider your therapy as a quick fix. Each person
will respond differently to treatment. Future treatment recommendations
will be made on the basis of your healing. For healing to be maximized
it is imperative that you participate in your home care everyday.
What is a frenectomy?
A
frenectomy is the surgical removal of a frenum in the mouth. A frenum
is a fold of tissue that passes from the movable lip or cheek to the
gum. When a frenum is positioned in such a way as to interfere with
the normal alignment of teeth or results in pulling away of the gum
from the tooth surface causing recession, these are often removed using
a surgical process known as a frenectomy.
|
Gingivitis:
The most common
disease among kids in the world
By
Dr. Michael Bral
New York University
New
York
- What is the most common disease in the world among kids? Polio?
Cancer? Malnutrition?
No,
it's gingivitis which, is inflammation of the gums. An estimated
98 percent of all young people have some degree of gum inflammation.
Although
gingivitis in children rarely causes a serious problem such
as permanent tooth loss, it has a tendency to peak in severity
at the time of puberty. Existing gingivitis is intensified during
the period of hormonal changes, although it is gradually reduced
throughout the remainder of the teen years.
Fortunately,
gingivitis has a simple solution: good oral hygiene. Daily brushing
and flossing not only prevents gingivitis, but more importantly,
also controls tooth decay and more long-term dental problems.
Gingivitis
results form the buildup of bacterial plaque on the tooth. The
plaque serves as a breeding ground for multiplication of bacteria
and their destructive byproducts, which eventually, through
some complex changes, cause the gums to bleed.
When
gums bleed on brushing, it is a clear sign the gums are inflamed
and that gingivitis is present.
If
your child's gums bleed, don't be alarmed; regular correct brushing
should eventually remove the plaque, stop the bleeding, and
cure gingivitis.
Dental
visits for checkups and tooth cleaning should take place at
least every six months, regardless of the presence or absence
of bleeding and gingivitis.
For
children who have physical or mental handicaps that make up
regular brushing difficult, assistance at home as well as power-operated
toothbrushes and antibacterial mouth rinses can be used to prevent
or treat gingivitis.
Use
of dental floss at least two or three times a week should be
introduced when the child is old enough to use it. Like toothbrushing,
flossing is essential for good oral health, and should become
a matter of habit.
It
is also important for the child to know to brush every tooth
- not just the ones in the front.
As
signs in some dentists' offices says: "You do
not have to brush every tooth - only the ones you want to keep."
Dr.
Michael Bral is Professor and Chairman of Periodontics at New
York University College of Dentistry.
|
