We Provide a Periodontics Treatment for Gums That Are Inflamed or Receding

As a periodontics office, we receive questions every day regarding how gum disease develops, the symptoms, and how smiles can be improved after they have been damaged by gum disease. We care about our patients and their questions, and we gladly provide answers to help educate patients on periodontal disease. Listed below are just a selected number of questions we receive and our answers to them.  

How do I know if I have Periodontal Disease?
When your gum disease is first developing it may be hard to tell. This is one reason why it is so important to keep up with regular dentist visits. We can tell you if your gums are irritated or infected before you even notice it. Gum disease normally starts in the form of gingivitis. At this stage, you may notice that your gums are bleeding when you brush your teeth or floss. You may also notice that your gums look like a brighter red color, and they could begin swelling. As your gingivitis develops into periodontitis, you may experience more gum swelling, gum receding, a metallic taste in your mouth, loose teeth, bad breath, tooth abscesses, and eventually tooth loss. If you are experiencing any number of these symptoms, you should visit our periodontics office as soon as possible for a diagnosis.

Can a general dentist treat my gum disease or do I have to see a periodontist?
Every dentist is educated on the basics of diagnosing and treating gum disease. You could see a general dentist, but should visit a dentist who has extensive training in gum development, care, and disease and how gum disease affects your entire dental structure. Our practice revolves around gum treatment, so you can be confident that we are up to date and experienced in the best treatment methods available. If you have advanced periodontal disease, we would encourage you to visit our periodontics office immediately for help. When you come in, we will examine your teeth and gums, take x-rays and perform a deep cleaning to remove plaque and tartar from under the surface of your gums.  As a result, your gums will be able to return to good health, often without the need for additional treatments.

Can a periodontist fix the damage that was caused by periodontal disease?
Yes, we are thoroughly trained on cosmetic procedures that will correct a damaged smile. If your gums have receded due to periodontal disease, we can perform a gum graft to restore them. If you have lost any teeth because of periodontal disease, we can provide permanent and attractive dental implants. We can also perform other treatments to cover tooth roots, to improve shaping and contouring, and to lengthen or shorten teeth that look out of place due to effects of periodontal disease. A visit to our periodontics office can drastically improve your dental structure and appearance.

We hope this article has helped you learn more about periodontal disease and procedures we can offer to improve your smile. If you need comprehensive care for your gum disease, visit our periodontics office today.

Family Dentist  >  Dentist

What You Need to Know About Periodontics

Periodontics is the practice of dentistry that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases, one of the more common being periodontitis. According to recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost half of all American adults, suffer from a mild, moderate or severe case of periodontitis, or gum disease. The American Academy of Periodontology recommends that every adult in the U.S. should receive a comprehensive periodontal evaluation (CPE) each year to evaluate their oral health and diagnose any periodontal disease.

Gum Disease And Periodontitis Explained

Gum disease occurs when the soft tissue and bone that support your teeth get infected. Plaque is essentially sticky film of bacteria that is constantly forming on your teeth and below the gum line. This bacteria feeds on sugar and forms acids that eats its way through the tooth enamel and causes cavities.  If not removed, plaque will calcify and harden, forming what is known as tartar or calculus, which is impervious to brushing and flossing and can only be removed by your dentist. Plaque and tartar are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria which is why the longer they stay on teeth, the more harmful they become.

The bacteria can cause the gums to bleed, become irritated and inflamed which leads to gum disease. The mildest form of gum disease is gingivitis, which can usually be reversed with regular brushing, flossing, and professional cleaning. However, if left untreated, the plaque and tartar buildup will form spaces or pockets between the teeth and the gums. When these spaces become infected, it is called periodontitis. While gingivitis and periodontitis are the two most common forms of gum diseases, periodontitis is the most severe form, damaging the soft tissue and the bone that supports your teeth. Periodontitis can lead to tooth loss, or worse, has been linked to other serious health problems such as heart attacks.  By practicing periodontics, we can treat this condition.

What Causes Gum Disease?
Factors that increase your risk of gum disease include:

• Poor oral hygiene (not brushing at least twice, and not flossing at least once daily)
• Not getting regular dental checkups or teeth cleaning
• A history of gum disease in your family
• Poor diet that is lacking in essential vitamins and minerals, but is high in simple carbohydrates and sugar.
• High-stress levels
• Hormonal changes
• Diseases that weaken your immune system, such as diabetes or cancer
• Smoking or chewing tobacco
• Substance abuse
• Certain medications
• Misaligned teeth

What Are The Symptoms?
Healthy gums should be firm and pale pink in color. If you have any of the symptoms mentioned below, you should visit our office for a periodontics treatment as soon as possible. This is to reverse any damage and possibly prevent other serious health problems from developing. Signs and symptoms of gingivitis and periodontitis can include:

Reddish, puffy or swollen gums

• Gums that bleed or are tender to the touch
• Gums that are receding or pulling away from your teeth
• Spaces between your teeth that were never there before
• An infection that has signs of pus in spaces between your teeth and gums
• Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
• Teeth that feel loose
• A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite 

A big part of periodontics is the prevention and early treatment of conditions such as gingivitis and periodontitis. If you think you are experiencing any of the signs of gum disease, come and see one of our specialists today and to restore your oral health.

Family Dentist  >  Dentist

Learn About the Connection Between Periodontics and Cardiology

Periodontics and cardiology may have a lot in common.  Soon, a periodontist may be working in closer proximity to cardiologists than one might have thought. As more information is emerging about the connection between gum diseases and some heart conditions, there is a possibility that the two fields will be conducting extensive research to find out exactly what these two sets of conditions have in common, and more importantly if one can be used to diagnose and prevent the other. Naturally if there is a way for periodontists to find people that are at a higher risk for heart diseases, based on the condition of their gums it would be an exciting step forward that may give cardiologists an additional early warning mechanism that will ultimately save lives. 

Periodontists, in conjunction with cardiologists, have examined a large number of scientific and private studies compiled into a large database, several similarities and conjoining factors have emerged that suggest that gum diseases may be linked to heart conditions, and vice versa. What is important to note is that these studies, and this compilation of data is extremely rudimentary at this stage, which means no important conclusions can be drawn until much more in depth analysis is completed. From an anecdotal evidence point of view, however, it is clear that the two have numerous factors in common which leads one to believe that there is room for more research to gain a more clear understanding of how one condition may be a precursor to or an indicator of the other. 

While there is much research to be done, the studies, that have been concluded, have found two very interesting corresponding factors, which warrant further study. The first of these is the elevated levels of CRP, or the C-reactive protein which is found in both heart patients and in patients that have gum diseases. The second is the identical nature of the bacteria found in the atherosclerotic plaque in the arteries of heart patients and the bacteria that affects patients with gum disease. 

The C-reactive protein is an important diagnostic and monitoring tool for both cardiologists and periodontists. CRP, or C-reactive protein, reaches elevated levels if the body has some level of inflammation. For a heart patient, this occurs because the build of plaque in the arteries is an inflammatory process which makes it a key tool for diagnosing at risk patients at the cardiologist's office. In periodontics, the gum disease also causes inflammation, which means they too measure the CRP as part of the diagnostic and monitoring process. 

The second, and potentially more important, connection between gum diseases and heart conditions come from the identical nature of the bacteria found in atherosclerotic plaque and the bacteria in the gums. Theoretically this could be caused by people with gum diseases brushing their teeth and releasing the bacteria into the blood stream where it makes its way into the arteries. Once in the arteries the bacteria release a protein typically found in the arterial walls, leading the body to activate its defense mechanisms. The result of this would be easier clotting of blood in the affected areas, which could be damaging to the arteries and increases the risk of heart disease. Perhaps periodontics can be an early indication of heart disease to come.