Periodontal
Disease
The American
Dental Association says three out of four Americans have
some degree of periodontal disease in their lifetime.
Gum disease (periodontal
disease) does not hurt. That’s the major problem. Gum disease
is an infestation of bad-bacteria below the gum line, which cannot
easily be removed. This causes attachment loss and bone loss. Most
people are worried about gum-recession, when the problem is attachment
recession. The first misconception is that your gums are attached
to your teeth where you see them. The attachment is actually several
millimeters below where you see your gums on your tooth. The hygienist
/ dentist will take an instrument and slide it along the root-surface
of your tooth. When he or she feels resistance, this is the attachment
level. The instrument is now below the gums, and a measurement
can be made. Anything more than three millimeters is considered
periodontal disease. Your gums do not have to recede to get gum-disease.
It is the attachment level that we are interested in. This creates
a pocket or an un-cleansable area which now harbors bacteria. If
these bad-bacteria produce toxin, the body’s response is
to pull back, this causes more problems. So as this pocket gets
larger, inflammation of the gum tissue increases, this often causes
bleeding upon brushing. This is a sign of gum-disease.
There are many different
treatments. One is to go to a periodontist. (Gum specialist) The
first treatment is usually deep cleanings. The root surfaces must
be cleaned thoroughly to allow the attachment to come back. Aids
to this are water picks, lasers, peroxide based toothpaste, such
as Rembrandt, and other surgical procedures.
As a patient you
should be aware of your periodontal numbers so you can clean those
areas better where there are deep pockets. If you think you have
periodontal disease, please get seen by a dentist and have your
teeth probed, and be given your options for disease resolve.
