Gum Disease and Your Health
The Primary Cause of Lost Teeth
Gum disease destroys more teeth than tooth decay! And it can go completely unnoticed right up until you lose your teeth. Symptoms include bleeding gums when you brush or floss and loose or shifting teeth. If you’ve been told you need gum surgery, you will be happy to know that it’s possible to control gum disease with a variety of non-surgical methods.
Gum Disease Can Contribute to Heart Disease and Even Stroke
Recent medical research has caused many doctors to reach a startling conclusion: gum disease, stroke, and heart disease are linked. Since heart disease is usually fatal, it is clear that gum disease is a serious problem. The American Dental Association estimates that 8 out of 10 Americans have periodontal (gum) disease. If this were any other affliction, such as AIDS or tuberculosis, it would be considered an epidemic! Most dentists think it is just that. They also know that gum disease will never be labeled an epidemic because “no one ever dies from it.” The worst is that you lose your teeth. Not pleasant – but certainly not life threatening. But that’s all changed. The American Academy of Periodontology reports: “Studies found periodontal infection may contribute to the development of heart disease, increase the risk of premature, underweight births, and pose a serious threat to people whose health is already compromised due to diabetes and respiratory diseases.” Periodontal disease is distinguished as a bacterial infection of the gums. These bacteria can move into the bloodstream – straight to the heart.
Now the Good News
Surgery is typically required for the treatment of advanced periodontal disease. Gum surgery is never pleasant, but it is almost always successful in controlling the condition, and it’s normally covered by common insurance plans. With periodontal disease, however, there is very effective NON-surgical treatment that, coupled with improved dental hygiene, can virtually halt the spread of the disease.
What’s So Awful About Losing a Tooth?
Teeth may be lost in an accident or other trauma, but the main reason people lose teeth is because of gum disease and/or decay. So, is it a big deal to lose a tooth? I mean you can’t die from it, right? No, you can’t, but losing even a single tooth can cause the other teeth to shift and move around – not good. This can create problems with chewing and your ability to absorb nutrients from your food. Other bad things can happen; your face can change shape, often looking “sunken.” This can make you appear older than you really are. Your speech may be affected. Because it’s harder to chew with missing teeth, you may find yourself favoring softer foods and more carbohydrates, which can cause you to gain weight. The best way to treat a missing tooth (or missing teeth) is with dental implants. Implants can replace one tooth or many and they look so natural that even a dentist has to look closely to tell the difference.
Do You Need Gum Surgery?
With new laser treatment, maybe you don’t! Our practice uses laser technology for the non-surgical treatment of gum disease, with outcomes that might have been considered impossible not too many years ago. The procedure is minimal and patient friendly, and the results have been extremely positive. We have successfully treated many cases of periodontal (gum) disease without gum surgery. We use an advanced dental laser to ensure your treatment is nearly painless. This laser is safe, effective, and FDA-approved. This breakthrough process can actually regenerate bone lost through years of gum disease.
We can help arrest your gum disease and bring your smile back to health. Give us a call today at (203) 743-5600.
