Don't Let Gum Disease Get the Best of You
Periodontal disease—commonly known as gum disease—is the most common adult dental condition. About 30% of the population experiences it, and it's the number one cause of tooth loss in adults. Many denture cases begin as a result of the damage this condition causes.
While gum disease isn't curable, it is controllable. Managing it requires a focused strategy, similar to managing other chronic conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes.
Gum disease can advance quietly with few signs or symptoms in the early stages. Many patients diagnosed with this condition are surprised at the damage progressing in their mouths. In simple terms, think of the gums and bone around your teeth as the foundation where they sit. Just like a house, the foundation must be sound regardless of the beauty of the house. When the foundation crumbles, the rest goes too.
Regular dental exams, professional cleanings, and good oral hygiene at home are essential to detecting and managing periodontitis.
What Causes Gum Disease?
Our mouths are home to millions of bacteria, both beneficial and harmful. Bacteria form a sticky substance called plaque that adheres to your teeth. Brushing and flossing remove plaque before it hardens into tartar. Tartar becomes a colony for more bacteria, which pump out toxins into your gums.
Your gums react to this bacterial invasion with inflammation directed by your immune system. Around the base of each tooth, a small collar of gum tissue forms a small crevice or pocket. This warm, dark environment is a perfect habitat for deeper tartar and bacterial penetration, with toxins seeping into the base of the collar.
Early inflammation results in bleeding gums, known as gingivitis. Bacteria left untreated create a chronic infection in the gum collar. In many cases, the bone begins to deteriorate around the teeth as bacteria burrow deeper. While gums may be slightly tender at this stage, there's generally minimal discomfort as the bone dissolves.
More than 50% of the bone around your teeth can disappear before any signs of looseness or pain appear. The bone around teeth never regenerates, so this loss becomes permanent and harder to control as bacteria hide deeper into the gums. Untreated gum disease leads to abscess and tooth loss in many advanced cases.
How We Diagnose Gum Disease
We use objective clinical data to diagnose gum disease and grade its severity. The small collar of gum around each tooth usually sits 2–3 millimeters deep, a small crevice easily cleaned by floss or toothpicks. Our doctors or hygiene team measure and chart multiple areas using a small measuring device. If these measurements register beyond 3 millimeters and include bleeding areas, the disease is present. Deeper findings indicate more advanced disease.
We also consider the texture and shape of your gums, any movement detectable in each tooth, and the levels, shape, and density of the bone around your teeth on digital x-rays. By drawing together these findings, a clear picture forms about your gum condition.
Treatment Tailored to You
After establishing a diagnosis, we develop a personalized treatment plan with you.
For milder forms with little or no bone loss, one or two visits with our hygiene team may bring the condition under control. You'll leave with a strategy for daily home care and an established schedule for maintenance.
For advanced inflammation with measurable bone loss, we take a proactive approach to halt the destruction. We often suggest gentle numbing of your gums for your comfort during the deeper cleaning process. One area at a time undergoes meticulous cleaning above and below the gum line, usually over several visits. The infected collar or pocket around each tooth, including the mineralized tartar, is carefully cleaned out with hand and ultrasonic instruments. Polishing the teeth establishes smooth surfaces that help repel stain and plaque accumulation.
Our doctors may suggest a medicated rinse, an electric toothbrush, a Waterpik, or other specific strategies to help you with your ongoing efforts. Remember, gum disease can be controlled but not cured. Dedicated daily efforts must be consistent.
Maintenance Matters
Regular home care is critical to stop the progression of gum disease. Within a few hours of a careful cleaning, bacteria begin to repopulate and adhere to the teeth. Plaque left undisturbed will start to harden and mineralize within 24 hours. Deeper gum pockets require even more diligence to prevent bacteria from burrowing further into the foundation of your teeth.
Since the deepest sections of gum pockets previously damaged by bacteria can be difficult to reach at home, a maintenance schedule with us is essential. We customize your plan to include 2, 3, or 4 visits a year depending on the severity of disease and its response to treatment and home care.
If our combined efforts don't halt your gum disease, we'll suggest referral to a trusted periodontist. With specialized training in many gum conditions, further treatment may be recommended.
The Mouth-Body Connection
Current research continues to establish clear links between bacterial disease in your mouth and ailments in other parts of the body. Studies show a link between oral bacteria and conditions such as heart disease, stroke, arthritis, Alzheimer's, and certain types of cancers. Controlling gum disease isn't just about saving your teeth—it's about protecting your overall health.
