Periodontal (Gum) Treatment

 

 

What is periodontal disease?

  1. Periodontal disease is a painless, bacterial infection of the gums that results in the loss of bone that surrounds and supports your teeth.
  2. One of the first things that happens is a loosening of your teeth. If left untreated you will most likely lose your teeth.
 
 

What are possible periodontal disease symptoms?

  1. Persistent bad breath or bad taste
     
    Unhealthy Gums 
  2. Red, swollen or bleeding gums
  3. Receding gums
  4. Loose or shifting teeth
  5. Missing teeth
  6. Ill-fitting dentures

What are the consequences if I avoid treatment?

  1. You will begin to lose your teeth.
  2. Finances- If you avoid periodontal treatment now, as you lose your teeth the treatments become more complex. Like all diseases, the earlier we treat this, the simpler and less costly the treatment.
  3. Appearance- If you lose your teeth you will prematurely age. The most dramatic effects for a person with dentures are a sinking appearance of the cheeks and wrinkling around the lips.
  4. Your health and longevity- It has been shown in studies, that patients who have lost their teeth do not digest their food as well and live less than patients who keep their teeth. Studies have found that people with periodontal disease are more likely to suffer a heart attack than those with healthy gums.
  5. Discomfort- The ads on TV make it look like you can live comfortably with dentures. However dentures can be very uncomfortable and in some cases frequently painful. In addition, dentures make it very uncomfortable to eat and there is also the emotional discomfort and embarrassment that comes with wearing them. (For example taking them out in front of your spouse).
  6. Unhappiness- People who keep their teeth are happier than people who lose their teeth. Losing ones teeth is a significant transition to "old age". You can't prevent aging but you can put off losing your teeth and all the discomforts associated with losing your teeth.


Can my teeth be saved?

The recent advances in periodontal treatment allow us to successfully treat most infections. However, this success is very dependent on a patient doing his/her job and showing up to see the dentist on a regular basis. Delaying treatment can result in losing your teeth.

Why am I being sent to a periodontist sometimes?

A periodontist is a specialist who treats this infection. This disease has periods when the bacterial infection gets worse. During these periods there is an acceleration of bone loss. We want to prevent these destructive periods from happening. If we see that one of these destructive periods could occur, or is occurring, we will refer you to a specialist for a periodontal exam.