Did you know that the most common cause of tooth loss in adults is gum disease? According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every two adults over the age of 30 in the United States has periodontal disease. However, the good news is that periodontal disease is almost entirely preventable. At Moudy Dental, we offer a comprehensive range of services to help patients maintain optimal periodontal health and enjoy the benefits of a smile that looks, feels, and functions at its best.
Periodontal disease, more commonly known as gum disease, is a set of inflammatory diseases that affect the "periodontium", which are the hard and soft tissues surrounding and supporting your teeth. Just like tooth decay, gum disease is attributed to the harmful bacteria in dental plaque and tartar that accumulate around the teeth and under the gums.
Since the progression of periodontal disease is often painless, you may not even be aware of an ongoing disease process. For this very reason, it’s essential to practice good oral hygiene and schedule visits for regular checkups, professional cleanings, and routine care.
Some indications that you may have periodontal disease include:
When periodontal disease is detected early in its onset, conservative or non-surgical methods of care combined with improved hygiene routines will restore periodontal health. Periodic, professional cleanings are normally sufficient to maintain periodontal health in patients that do not have gum disease. Once gingivitis is present, deeper cleanings and possibly other non-surgical methods of care are recommended to treat the condition.
A scaling and root planing procedure is used when plaque and tartar (hardened dental plaque) have accumulated below the gumline. The root surfaces of the teeth are also smoothed. Since periodontal disease is an inflammatory response to plaque, tartar, and bacterial toxins, the progression of gum disease can be halted by simply eliminating these agents. In addition to removing plaque and tartar with a scaling and root planing procedure, antimicrobial medication placed under the gumline or systemic medications can be used as adjuncts in the periodontal treatment procedure to further reduce the bacterial population.
If the periodontal condition in one’s mouth is too severe, we occasionally need to refer patients out to a periodontist for more advanced treatment procedures. For more information on our office and the periodontal services we provide, please give Moudy Dental a call today.
Taking care of your smile does more than keep your teeth and gums in optimal condition; good oral health also supports systemic health. In addition to being the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, researchers are finding more and more links between periodontal disease and a number of medical problems, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory problems.
At Moudy Dental, we emphasize the importance of prevention, early detection, and timely treatment of periodontal disease. We provide patients the guidance, support, and care required to maintain optimal periodontal health.
Most people don’t realize that periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every two adults over the age of 30 in the United States has periodontal disease.
You may be surprised to learn that the human mouth is home to a wide variety of microbes. The fact is that over 700 different strains of bacteria have been detected in the oral cavity. Although some of these bacteria are beneficial, others are harmful to oral health. Without proper oral hygiene and routine dental care, these harmful bacteria can cause tooth decay and gum disease, compromising both your oral health and overall wellbeing.
In addition to inadequate oral hygiene and infrequent professional care, other factors, including smoking, genetic tendencies, and unchecked diabetes, can contribute to the escalation of periodontal disease.
Your gums and teeth have an interdependent relationship, which means healthy teeth depend on the support of healthy gums. Also, taking care of your smile does more than keep your teeth and gums in optimal condition; good oral health also supports systemic health. In addition to being the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, researchers are finding more and more links between periodontal disease and a number of medical problems, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory problems, and adverse pregnancy outcomes such as pre-term and low birth-weight babies.
If you notice that your gums are bleeding with the slightest pressure while brushing or flossing, it’s a sign of gingivitis. Although gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease, it can easily be reversed with deeper cleanings as well as an improved regimen of oral hygiene at home.
In the absence of professional treatment and better home care, gingivitis progresses to the next stage, which is known as periodontitis. In this stage, the connective tissue and bone that hold the teeth in place begin to break down with an increase in pocketing between the teeth and bone, gum recession, and bone loss. Without proper treatment by your dentist, periodontitis will progress from a mild to moderate loss of supporting tissue to the destruction of the bone around the teeth.
Although gingivitis can often be reversed with improved oral hygiene and professional cleanings, as periodontal disease advances, more extensive procedures are required to halt its progression. Based on a complete assessment of your periodontal health and a review of possible contributing factors, our office will recommend the best options in care. Treatment for periodontitis may include a series of deeper cleanings known as root planing and scaling, surgical procedures to reduce pocket depth, bone or tissue grafts, laser procedures, or antimicrobial medications.
The cost of care depends on the type of procedures required to restore your periodontal health. If you have dental insurance, plans often cover treatment to prevent gum disease as well as many procedures to treat the various stages of gum disease. Our goal is to help patients restore and maintain good oral health. We do all we can to help you begin care without additional stress or delay. Our business office works with you to maximize your benefits and provide easier, more convenient payment options.
By seeing our office regularly for care and doing your best to eat a healthy diet and practice good oral hygiene, you can keep your smile in tip-top shape as well as protect your overall wellbeing.
At the office of Moudy Dental, we provide a comprehensive range of services to address all your oral healthcare needs. You can rest assured that your smile is in the best of hands at our office. Our skilled and experienced team maintains a position at the forefront of advances in care and remains dedicated to providing the highest quality of skilled and compassionate treatment.