Periodontal Disease:

More than one in three adults suffer from some type of periodontal disease.  In fact, periodontitis is the leading cause of adult tooth loss in our country.  However, because periodontal disease develops silently and painlessly, the majority of people do not realize they have it.

Recent research has shown a relationship between periodontal infection and more serious health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, and preterm low birth weight babies. Good periodontal health is a key component of a healthy body.

What is periodontal disease? The word “periodontal” literally means around the tooth. Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a bacterial infection of the gums and bone supporting the teeth. The main cause of periodontal disease is bacteria found in plaque. As the bacteria and plaque accumulates, it causes your gums to redden, swell, and bleed easily. Early form of periodontal disease is called gingivitis. If left untreated gingivitis can advance to periodontitis.  Toxins produced by the bacteria  and your body begin to break down the tissue and bone that support the teeth.  The gums separate from the teeth, forming pockets that become infected.  As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more tissue and bone are destroyed.  Eventually, the teeth can become loose and may need to be removed.

There are a number of factors that can increase your chances of developing periodontal disease. Some are smoking and tobacco use, stress, genetics, osteoporosis, medications, diabetes, poor nutrition, hormonal fluctuations and poor oral hygiene.

How is it treated? Treating periodontal disease is often accomplished through non-surgical treatment, which includes scaling and root planning. This is a careful cleaning of the root surface to remove plaque and calculus from deep periodontal pockets and to smooth the root surface to remove bacterial toxins. This treatment is often called a deep cleaning. The treatment is often followed by adjunctive therapy such as local delivery antimicrobials, as needed on a case-by-case basis. Patients will require ongoing maintenance therapy to sustain health.  Non-surgical therapy does have its limitations, however, and when it does not achieve periodontal health, surgery may be indicated to restore periodontal anatomy damaged by periodontal diseases and to facilitate oral hygiene practices.

Source: The American Academy of Periodontology