What is Periodontal Disease? Periodontal disease is the most leading casue of tooth loss in adults. If untreated this serious gum and bone infection around the teeth can lead to tooth loss, along with surrounging gum tissue; including your jaw bones.
Causes of Periodontal Disease
The main cause of periodontal disease is bacterial plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. However, factors like the following also affect the health of your gums.
1. Smoking/Tobacco Use
As you probably already know, tobacco use is linked with many serious illnesses such as cancer, lung disease and heart disease, as well as numerous other health problems. What you may not know is that tobacco users also are at an increased risk for periodontal disease. In fact, recent studies have shown that tobacco use may be one of the most significant risk factors in the development and progression of periodontal disease.
2. Genetics
Research proves that up the 30% of the population may be genetically susceptible to gum disease. Despite agressive oral care habits, these people may be six times more likely to develop peridontal disease. Identifying rthese people with a genetic test before they even show signs of the disease and getting them into early interventive treatment may help them keep their teeth for a lifetime.
3. Pregnancy and Puberty
As a woman, you know that your health needs are unique. You know that brushing and flossing daily, a healthy diet and regular exercise are all important to help you stay in shape. You also know that at specific times in your life, you need to take extra care of yourself. Times when you mature and change, during puberty or menopause and times when you have special health needs, such as menstruation or pregnancy. During these particular times your body experiencces hormonal changes. These changes can affect many of the tissues in your body including your gums. Your gums can become sensitive and at times react strongly to the hormonal fluctauations. This may make you more susceptible to gum disease. Additionally, recent studies suggest that preganant women with gum disease are seven times more likely to delivery preterm low birth weight tables.
4. Stress
As you probably already know, stress is linked ot many serious conditions such as hypertension, cancer and numberous other health problems. What you may not know is that stress also is a risk factor for periodontal disease. Research demonstrates that stress can make it more difficult for the body to fight off infection, including periodontal diseases.
5. Medications
Some drugs such as oral contraceptives, anti-depressants and certain heart medicines can affect your oral health. In the same way you notify your pharmacist and other health care providers of all the medications you are taking and any changes in your overall healthy, you should also inform your dental care provider.
6. Clenching or Grinding your teeth
Has anyone ever told you that you grind you teeth at night? is your jaw sore from clenching your teeth your taking a test or solving a problem at work? Clenching or grinding your teeth can put excessive force on the supporting tissues of the teeth and could speed up the rate at with these periodontal tissues are destroyed.
7. Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that causes altered level sof sugar in the blood. Diabeted developes form either a deficiency in insulin production (a hormone that is the key component in the body's ability to use blood sugars) or the body's inability to use insulin correctly. According to the American Diabetes Association, Approximately 16 million americans ahve diabetes; however more than half have not been diagnosed with this disease. If you are a diabetic, you are at higher risk for developing infections, including periodontal disease. These infections can impair the ability to process and/or utilize insulin, which may cause your diabetes to be more difficult to control and your infection to be more sever than a non-diabetic.
8. Poor Nutrition
As you may already know, a diet low in important nutrients can compromise the body's immuine system and make it harder for the body to fight off infection. Because periodontal disease is a serious infection, poor nutrition can worsen the condition of your gums.
9. Other Sytematic Diseases
Disease that interfere with the body's immune system may worsen the conditions of the gums.
Symptoms
Bleeding, itching gums and inflammation are some of the symptoms of typical periodontal disease. As the diseases develop, you can feel pain on teeth while chewing as well for them to feel shaky which leads to teeth loss. Periodontal disease, seems to have no severe symptoms at first, but it gets serious with time.
Types
Gigivitis
One of the most common and mildest types of periodontal disease. It cause gums to become red, swollen as well as bleed easily. Since there is only little discomfort at this stage it is frequently ignored.
Periondontitis
Usually occurs among the age of 40. It takes place where the infection is in periodontal tissue and dental dement.
Chronic Periodontitis
Its a result of inflammation along with supporting tissues of the teeth, progressive attachment and bone loss. It is characterized by pocket formation and/or recession of the gigival. If untreated may lead to teeth loss.
Treatment of Periodontal Disease
If you're diagnosed with periodontal disease, Dr. Shin may recommend periodontal surgery. Periodontal surgery is necessary when your periodontist determines that the tissue around your teeth is unhealthy and cannot be repaired with nonsurgical treatment. Following are the four types of surgical treatments most commonly prescribed.
Pocket Depth Reduction (Osseus Surgery)
Your bone and gum tissue should fit snugly around your teeth like a turtleneck around your neck. When you have periodontal disease, this supporting tissue and bone is destroyed, forming 'pockets' aroudn the teeth. Over time these pockets become deeper, providing a larger space for bacteria to live. As bacteria develop around the teeth, they can accumulate and advance under the gum tissue. These deep pockets collect even more bacteria resulting in further bone and tissue loss. Eventually if too much bone is lost, the teeth will need to be extracted.
Dr. Shin has measured the depth of your pocket(s). A pocket reduction procedure has been recommended because you have pockets that are too deep to clean with daily at-home oral hygiene and professional care routine. During this procedure, Dr. Shin folds back the gum tissue and removses the disease causing bacteria before securing the tissue into place. In some cases, irregular surfaces of the damaged bone are smoothed to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide. This allows the gum tissue to better reattach to healthy bone.
What are the benefits of this procedure?
Reducing pocket depth and eliminating existing bacteria are important to prevent damage causes by the progession of periodontal disease and to help you maintain a healthy smile. Eliminating basteria alone may not be sufficient to prevent disease recurrence. Deeper pockets are more difficult for you and your dental care professional to clean, so its important for you to reduce them. Reduced pockets and a combination of daily oral hygiene and professional maintenance care increase your chances of keeping your natural teeth - and decrease the chance of serious health problems associated with periodontal disease.
Regeneration
Your bone and gum tissue should fit snugly around your teeth like a turtleneck around your neck. When you have periodontal disease, this supporting tissue and bone is destroyed and pockets develop. Eventually, if too much bone is lost, the teeth will need to be extracted.
Dr.Shin may recommend a regenerative procedure when the bone supporting your teeth has been destroyed. These procedures can reverse some of the damage by regenerating lost bone and tissue.
During this procedure, your periodontist folds back the gum tissue and removes the disease-causing bacteria. Membranes (filters), bone grafts or tissue stimulating proteins can be used to encourage your body natural ability to regenerate bone and tissue.
There are many options to enhance support for your teeth and to restore your bone to a healthy level. Dr. Shin will discuss your best options with you.
What are the benefits of this procedure?
Eliminating existing basteria and regenerating bone and tissue helps to reduce pocket depth, and repair damage caused by the progression of periodontal disease. The combination of daily oral hygiene along with professional maintenance care, will increase the chances of keeping your natural teeth - decreasing the chances of serious health problems associated with periodontal disease.
