The Facts About Periodontal Disease: What it is, and Common Causes
Periodontal
disease, better known simply as gum disease, is the single most common
cause of tooth loss in adults. It is an inflammatory condition that
attacks the gums, bone and other underlying, supporting structures of
the teeth.
The leading cause?
Plaque is the most common culprit. Plaque is a colorless film of
bacteria that forms on the teeth, mixing with sugars and starches in
the diet to form acids( and other by-products ) in the mouth. Gums then
become irritated, tender and swollen, often times bleeding easily when
brushing or flossing.
If plaque is not
removed from your teeth through proper daily oral hygiene, it will
harden to form tartar around the necks of the teeth, leading to further
complications with the gums.
When gums pull away
from the teeth as a consequence of the above, small pockets form
between the teeth and the gums. These pockets then become filled with
more plaque. Eventually, as the pockets deepen, it becomes impossible
for you to properly clean the plaque out, ultimately leading to
potential bone structure damage as the underlying support erodes away.
Other causes of Periodontal Disease Include:
Physical and Chemical irritants - Food, tobacco, alcohol and the improper use of dental floss, brushing or toothpicks may irritate gum tissue
Abnormal oral conditions or habits - Badly aligned
teeth, poorly fitting bridges or partial dentures. Harmful habits such
as grinding the teeth or chewing ice can also prove to be problematic
Poor Diet - Nutritional deficiencies have been shown in studies to be linked to the bodies ability to fight infection
Pregnancy - Hormonal level fluctuations have been shown to cause a temporary condition known as “pregnancy gingivitis”
Medications/Diseases – Oral
contraceptives, steroids and cancer therapy medications may have a
negative impact as well. Diabetes, Uremia, liver cirrhosis and anemia
are amongst many diseases that have been shown to have a detrimental
effect on the health of your gums.
Lets take a quick look at some of the signs you may have periodontal disease:
Gums that bleed when you brush or floss your teeth
Red, swollen or tender gums
Receded or shrunken gums that pull away from the teeth
Pain when chewing
Changes in your bite, or in the way your dentures fit
Chronic bad breath, or bad taste in your mouth
Teeth that are overly sensitive to hot and cold foods or beverages
If you are
displaying any of these signs, or feel you are sucessitable to any of
the above causes of periodontal disease, why not give us a call and
schedule an appointment? Gum disease may not be fun, but it can be
treated through any number of modern advancements in dentistry, and you
most defenitely do not need to live with the inconvienience, discomfort
or further future risk that periodontal disease presents in your plan
for optimal oral hygiene and health.
Woodside Dental offers Ezlase treatment to improve your comfort and provide better results from your dental procedures. Ezlase laser dentistry in West Los Angeles allows for greater patient comfort and convenience, with less invasive methods. With many procedures it's possible to minimize the use of anesthesia.
