Why should you be concerned about periodontal (gum) disease?

 Periodontal disease is so common that estimates of those affected range from between 75% to more than 90%.  It is an insidious bacterial infection that begins with no symptoms and can progressively affect the appearance of your gums, cause bad breath, and eventually lead to tooth loss with can affect your ability to chew, speak, and socialize.  It causes progressive bone loss which can alter the proportions of your face.  Periodontal disease has also been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, premature births, kidney disease, oral cancer, lung disease, and Alzheimer’s.

What causes gum disease?

 Plaque, the soft thin film you may feel on your teeth, is a natural biofilm with its own ecosystem of bacterial environments.  If this film is allowed to build up, it hardens into calculus (or tartar) which can cause gum inflammation and bleeding.  Calculus can damage the natural seal formed by your gums against the migration of oral bacteria into your bloodstream.  The earliest and most common stage of gum disease is called gingivitis.  As it progresses, it is called periodontitis.

How can you prevent or manage gum disease?

 It’s very important that you maintain a home care routine to prevent plaque from becoming calculus.  Maintaining adequate nutrition and avoiding stress, teeth grinding and clenching, and tobacco can help.  Keep your regular dental appointments so we can keep on top of things, because once calculus is formed, only your dental team can remove it.  Thanks to modern dentistry, periodontal disease can be managed – and even reversed!