We
consider the health of your gum tissues to be critically important.
If your gum tissue is in good health (see
picture on the right) then maintenance is usually quite
simple. It usually requires only periodic teeth cleaning at the
dentist and good oral hygiene at home.
The plaque that accumulates on your teeth contains harmful bacteria.
These bacteria release toxins that irritate and inflame your gums.
If this plaque is not removed adequately the early stages of "Gum
Disease", know as Gingivitis, develops. Gingivitis is completely
reversible with regular cleanings and
proper home care. The
treatment and instruction given by our highly skilled
hygienist will help remove harmful plaque and calculus
(tarter) from your teeth and lower
bacteria levels.
If
Gingivitis is not treated it will eventually develop into
Periodontal Disease. In this condition the harmful bacteria
permanently damage the gum tissue and the bone that holds your teeth
in place (see picture on the right).
As periodontal disease progresses the gum tissue shrinks away from
the teeth and the underlying bone is lost, resulting in the teeth
becoming loose. This stage is non-reversible and can be harmful to
your overall health.
The gum tissues become porous allowing the bacteria and their toxins
to pass into your bloodstream potentially affecting vital organs
such as the heart and lungs.
Moderate to Severe Gum Disease can: 
-
Increase your risk of heart attack by as much as 25%
-
Increase your risk of stroke by a factor of 10
-
Increase severity of diabetes
-
Contribute to low pre-term birth weight
-
Severely stress your immune system
-
Lower resistance to other infections
-
Contribute to respiratory disease
Fortunately,
with proper treatment, we can usually keep Periodontal Disease under
control. In our office we use non-surgical gum treatment ranging
from basic cleanings to deeper cleanings, called Scaling and Root
Planning to treat advancing stages of gum disease. We are also one
of the few offices in this area who use a phase contrast microscope
in periodontal therapy. The microscope allows us to identify which
bacteria we will need to fight to get the periodontal infection
controlled. We can then target these destructive bacteria with the
appropriate antibiotics.
It’s our goal to assist our patients in controlling periodontal
disease, improving their oral health and helping them save their
teeth for a lifetime. This in turn can improve their overall health
possibly allowing them to live longer.
