Periodontal Disease and Prevention

Periodontal diseases are infections of the gums, which gradually destroy the support of your natural teeth. If left untreated, periodontal disease leads to loss of teeth. The disease comes in many different forms and has several warning signs.

There is a growing body of scientific evidence suggesting possible links between periodontal disease and other systemic diseases such as diabetes and coronary artery disease.

The good news is that periodontal disease is treatable and preventable!

Preventing Gum Disease

Dental plaque is the primary cause of gum disease in genetically susceptible individuals. The best way to prevent gum disease is effective daily brushing and flossing as well as regular professional examinations and cleanings. Daily oral hygiene is so important because adults past the age of 35 lose more teeth to gum diseases than cavities. Three out of four adults are affected at some time in their life. Unfortunately, even with the most diligent home dental care, people still can develop some forms of periodontal disease. Once this disease starts, professional intervention by your dentist and periodontist is required to properly prevent its progress.

Other Important Risk Factors Affecting the Health of Your Gums

Lifestyle and certain systemic disorders can influence the severity and rate of progression of the disease. Becoming aware and modifying these factors can help prevent and control the disease. These factors include:

• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Hormones
• Stress
• Clenching and grinding teeth
• Medications
• Poor nutrition
• Poor compliance of dental hygiene

Periodontal Disease and Tobacco

You are probably familiar with the links between tobacco use and lung disease, cancer and heart disease.

Current studies have now linked periodontal disease with tobacco use. Smoking leads to a greater incidence of calculus (tartar) formation on teeth, deeper pockets between gums & teeth as well as greater loss of the bone and fibers that hold the teeth in your mouth. In addition, your chance of developing oral cancer increases with the use of tobacco.

Chemicals in tobacco such as nicotine and tar, slow down healing and the predictability of success following periodontal treatment as well.

Quitting tobacco will reduce the chance of developing gum disease!

Diabetes and Oral Health

Individuals suffering from diabetes, especially uncontrolled diabetics, have a higher risk of developing bacterial infections of the mouth. These infections may impair your ability to process insulin, resulting in greater difficulty with controlling your diabetes. Periodontal diseases is more severe in diabetics than those not suffering from diabetes. Also, treatment is more difficult for the diabetic patient.

Steps to prevent periodontal disease include daily brushing and flossing to remove plaque for your teeth and gums, regular dental visits for professional cleaning and regular periodontal evaluation. Your health professional must also be told of your history and the current status of your condition. And finally, you can help resist periodontal infection by maintaining control of your blood sugar levels.

Women and Periodontal Health

Throughout a woman’s life, hormonal changes affect many tissues in the body.
Fluctuations in levels occur during puberty, pregnancy and menopause. At these times, the chance of periodontal disease may increase, requiring special care of your oral health.

Puberty: During puberty, there is increased production of sex hormones. These higher levels increase gum sensitivity and lead to greater irritations from plaque and food particles. The gums can become swollen, turn red and feel tender.

Menstruation: Similar symptoms occasionally appear several days before menstruation. There can be bleeding of the gums, bright red swelling between the teeth and gum, or sores on the inside of the cheek. The symptoms clear up once the period has started. As the amount of sex hormones decrease, so do these problems.

Pregnancy: Your gums and teeth are also affected during pregnancy. Between the second and eighth month, your gums may swell, bleed and become red or tender. Large lumps may appear as a reaction to local irritants. However, these growths are generally painless and not cancerous. They may require professional removal, but usually disappear after pregnancy.

Periodontal health should be part of your prenatal care. Any infections during pregnancy, including periodontal infections, can place a baby’s health at risk.

The best way to prevent periodontic infections is to begin with healthy gums and
continue to maintain your oral health with proper home care and careful periodontic monitoring.

Oral contraceptives: Swelling, bleeding and tenderness of the gums may also occur when you are taking oral contraceptives, which are synthetic hormones.

You must mention any prescriptions you are taking, including oral contraceptives, prior to medical or dental treatment. This will help eliminate risk of drug interractions, such as antibiotics with oral contraceptives – where the effectiveness of the contraceptive can be lessened.

Menopause: Changes in the look and feel of your mouth may occur if you are menopausal or post-menopausal. They include feeling pain, dry mouth and burning in your gum tissue and salty, peppery or sour tastes.

Careful oral hygiene at home and professional cleaning may relieve these symptoms. There are also saliva substitutes to treat the effects of “dry mouth”.