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Gum disease is a condition that seems to plague a good number of people, but most especially those who are advanced in age.

It is also said to be a silent killer, spawning certain types of heart disease.

However, the question is, is there even a way to prevent it, given its propensity?

It is said that over thirty million people have this condition. Causes for this range from poor dental hygiene or lack of hydration to other, more systemic conditions such as diabetes.

What are your treatment options, then?

Of course, preventive care must include regular (and proper) brushing and flossing of the teeth.

But if you are already afflicted with gum disease, then you may be presented with both surgical and non-surgical treatment options by your dentist or periodontist.

In either case, it is important to do what you can do keep your own natural teeth – if at all possible.

When it comes to non-surgical treatments, the American Academy of Periodontics guidelines stress that periodontal treatment should be accomplished in the least invasive but most cost-effective manner.

So, the most common treatment would be scaling and root planing followed by adjunctive therapy.

Scaling and root planing are terms used for separate procedures to scale, or strip-off the tartar from the teeth and plane, or clean and smooth the exposed root surfaces using hand instruments.

The purpose of each is to remove debris and bacteria-laden tartar, but also to smooth the tooth surfaces so that plaque has a harder time of adhering in the future.

After scaling and root planing, most patients do not require additional, intensive therapy.

However, because of its limitations, there may be a need for some patients to undergo surgical treatments.

Surgical treatments would involve pocket reduction procedures, regenerative procedures, crown lengthening and bone or soft tissue grafts.

Of course, these types of procedures will be much more costly but could be a necessary measure in order to prevent the disease from further spreading and branching off into other complications.

Protect yourself from periodontal disease and ensure your dental insurance policy covers all aspects of periodontal treatment, so you won’t have to bear the cost of treatment that could save your precious teeth.

*Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only and does not intend to advise upon, diagnose or treat any health problem whatsoever. If you have or think you might have a health problem, visit your doctor or dentist for advice, diagnosis and treatment.

This short video tells how to cure gum disease.

Swollen, tender and bleeding gums are signs of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is an infection caused by bacteria that attacks the gum lines causing the supporting tissues to break down. If left untreated, the infection will advance further into the tissues beneath the gums and may even cause tooth loss in the case of severe stages of the disease.

Treatment depends on how progressive the periodontal (gum) disease has become.  For mild stages such as gingivitis, thorough cleaning and scaling to remove plaque and tartar deposits are usually the first step. In advanced cases of periodontal disease, surgery may be required. Periodontal disease is often painless and shows no warning signs; hence, it is important to have regular dental visits and periodontal examinations.    

Improper oral hygiene is the most common cause of gum disease. But do you know that some medical conditions and unhealthy lifestyles contribute to the risk of developing gum disease?

Here are some of the most common factors that increase the risk of periodontal disease:

• Smoking and chewing tobacco
• Systemic diseases such as diabetes
• Steroids, certain types of anti-epilepsy drugs, medication for cancer therapy, some calcium channel blockers, oral contraceptives
• Pregnancy

If you are on medication as a result of the conditions mentioned above, you should be more mindful in taking care of your oral health. Smoking not only causes gum disease, it also stains your teeth and harbors unsightly tartar deposits in the gum lines. Pregnant women should consult their dentist if they need to take calcium supplements to care for their teeth during the course of their pregnancy.

It is important to practice good oral hygiene to keep periodontal disease from becoming serious. Brushing your teeth after every meal, flossing regularly, eating a well-balanced diet and regular dental visits are essential in keeping your teeth and gums in good condition.

To learn more about periodontal disease and proper oral hygiene, contact our Ft Lauderdale dentist at www.sleepdentists.com.

dental care

If you find blood on your toothbrush, even when brushing your teeth gently, you could be suffering from gingivitis.

This is an inflammation of the gums caused by bacterial growth. It is found between the gaps in the gums and the teeth and on the teeth themselves.

Additional symptoms of gingivitis may include but are not exclusive to a bright red or shiny appearance of the gums, gums that are tender when touched, swollen gums which are abnormally enlarged, mouth sores and bad breath or halitosis.

Gingivitis is a periodontal (gum) disease that is quite varied, and the etiology has been separated into both local and systemic causes which involve inflammation and or infection.

This infection is able to destroy the supporting tissue of the teeth if it is left unattended.

Resulting bad breath from the inflammation is able to cause loss of self-esteem, and in severe cases even social isolation.

There is mounting evidence from medical researchers that gum diseases such as gingivitis may make people more prone to general inflammations of the body, heart disease, osteoporosis, pancreatic cancer, stroke and arteriosclerosis.

The bacterial plaque and calculus (tartar) accumulates in the gaps between the gum and teeth and tartar actually forms on the teeth.

The way to treat this problem is by dental debridement.

This means apart from a normal brushing routine, you seek the professional assistance of a dental hygienist or dentist to remove the plaque and tartar by scaling and root planing.

Although the accumulations of these bacteria may be very small it can still produce toxins which cause gum inflammation.

Over years the build-up of this infection has the effect of causing deep fissures between the teeth and gum, affecting the ligaments, bone and gum tissue that hold the tooth in place.

This loss of supporting tissue can cause the tooth to become loose, in which case it may come out on its own or require removal.

Professional dental cleaning is traditionally performed every six months.  However, in the case of recurring gingivitis inflammation it may be recommended every three to four months, as it takes plaque approximately three months to accumulate and harden as tartar in quantities that require professional removal.

Author:  Scott W.   Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. If you have or think you might have gum disease or any other kind of health problem, visit your doctor or periodontist for advice, diagnosis and treatment.

“Why is there blood in my mouth when I wake up?” If you have ever had to ask yourself this question, then it is crucial that you make an appointment to see your periodontist right away. Do not pass Go, do not collect two hundred dollars, and do not procrastinate, try to make excuses for it, or wait for it to go away. You could have periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, and that is not something you should ever take lightly. The problem may be more complicated than even a good mouthwash like therabreath could solve.

Gum disease affects a baffling number of men, women, and children in the United States alone. It is estimated that upwards of fifty percent of the population, if not more, has some form of periodontal disease. The most common periodontal diseases range from mild to severe, but they are all something about which you should worry. They need to be taken seriously. That is why there are so many products like
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Waking up with blood in your mouth is an almost positive sign that you have gingivitis at the very least. This blood is most likely being produced from your gums. Bleeding gums is the first and most telltale sign of gingivitis. If your gums are tender, sore, or red in color, then you almost certainly have some form of gum disease.

If left untreated, gingivitis is serious. It can lead to gingival disease, for one thing. Gum disease itself can lead to your teeth becoming loose – and falling out. In general, untreated gum disease can lead to even more several health problems, such as heart disease. Considering the fact that brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing can keep your teeth healthy, it is not worth the risk to get gum disease.

Remember, even though you may have Home ozonators to make oxygenated mouthwash, you still need to see a periodontist for diagnosis.

It cannot be said enough. If you wake up to blood in your mouth, you need to go see your dentist. If you do have gum disease, you want to take care of it quickly.

*The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products in this article.