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Pages HomeServices Dental Sleep Medicine New Patients Offers Contact Us "); Periodontal Disease: Causes and Prevention Lacey Dentist What Is It? Periodontitis is a term used to describe a group of conditions that involves inflammation of the gums and other structures that support the teeth. Periodontitis is caused by bacteria found in dental plaque and often, but not always, starts as gingivitis. In trying to eliminate the bacterial infection, your body produces substances that destroy the structures that hold the teeth in the jaw, including the periodontal ligament and underlying bone. As this process continues, the teeth become loose. Pockets form between the teeth and gums, allowing more bacteria to accumulate. Left untreated, periodontitis can result in tooth loss. Periodontitis usually is relatively painless. The onset of significant pain may signal the development of an abscess. Older adults are more likely to have periodontitis. People who smoke are four to seven times more likely than nonsmokers to get periodontitis. Smoking may impair the body’s defense against bacteria. Symptoms Symptoms include: Reddened, swollen or bleeding gums Receding gums Loose Teeth Bad breath An unpleasant taste in the mouth However, many people are unaware of these symptoms or do not believe they are signs of a serious problem. Diagnosis Your Lacey dentist will examine your mouth, paying special attention to your gums and teeth. If you have periodontitis, a dental probeinserted between your tooth and your gums will penetrate deeper than it normally would. Your dentist may also test for loose teeth. Teeth have a normal range of mobility, but in people with periodontitis, the teeth are looser due to the destruction of the fibers and bone supporting the teeth. Your dentist may also order X-rays to help diagnose periodontitis. These can be compared with older X-rays to see if changes have occurred in your teeth and gums. Expected Duration Unlike gingivitis, periodontitis cannot be completely reversed. In some situations, the supporting fibers and bone that have been lost can be regenerated. In most cases, however, particularly in advanced stages of the disease, the effects are permanent. However, treatment and improved oral hygiene at any stage can improve the health of your gums and prevent further destruction. Prevention Daily brushing and flossing (morning and night) and regular visits for professional cleaning can help prevent periodontitis or allow you to have it treated during its earliest stages. If you smoke, quitting will reduce your risk significantly. Treatment Treatment depends on how severe your periodontitis is. Dentists classify the disease as mild, moderate or severe. Mild periodontitis is usually treated first with a thorough cleaning called scaling and root planing. Scaling removes plaque or calculus that has accumulated on the crowns of your teeth (the parts that show) and slightly below the gum line. Root planing has two purposes: 1) to remove plaque or calculus from the roots of your teeth and 2) to smooth the roots of the teeth, making it more difficult for bacteria to cling to them. This, combined with good oral hygiene at home, often is enough for successful treatment. Moderate periodontitis may require more than scaling and root planing. Typically, your dentist will scale and root-plane your teeth. If this does not take care of the problem, he or she may decide that you need surgical treatment. Surgery can involve reshaping the gums to fit the teeth (resective surgeries) or encouraging lost bone to regrow (regenerative surgeries). Your dentist will decide whether you will need surgery and what type you need. Severe periodontitis likely will require surgical intervention and, in some instances, antibiotics. At this stage of disease, tooth loss is a distinct possibility. No matter which treatment you undergo, you should start a strict regimen of brushing and flossing to help restore your teeth to health. When To Call Your Lacey Dentist The best course of action is to get regular dental checkups. If you have persistent bleeding or swelling of your gums or notice loose teeth, call your dentist. Prognosis The outlook is good if the disease is recognized early and treated aggressively. Once bone loss occurs, the prognosis depends on the severity of the loss. Quitting smoking is very important for periodontal therapy to be successful. Lifelong maintenance will be required once the disease is controlled. 10:50 AM 2 Comments 8 Steps To A Brighter, Healthier Smile Dental Health In order to achieve a sparkling smile, you’ll need to treat your teeth to more than just regular brushing. Healthy teeth start with healthy habits — from your brushing routine to the foods you should and shouldn’t eat. "Your mouth is your body’s initial point of contact with the nutrients you consume," says Kimberly A. Harms, DDS, a spokesperson for the American Dental Association (ADA). "So naturally, what you put in your mouth impacts not only the health of your teeth and gums, but also your overall health." That includes beverages, the type and frequency of snacks, and even the gum you chew. It’s important to go beyond brushing and change your daily habits to get the bright, healthy smile you want. Here’s how: Avoid enamel damage. The layer of protective enamel on your teeth is your first defense against cavities, but certain foods and drinks strip it away, putting your smile at risk. Opting for sugar-filled sodas, sticky sweets (such as taffy), sweetened fruit drinks, and sugary snacks promotes tooth decay, Dr. Harms says. "When you eat sugary foods or sip sugary drinks for long periods of time, plaque bacteria use that sugar to produce acids that attack your enamel." Be sure to read food labels and choose foods that are lower in sugar. Eat nutrient-rich foods. Your teeth need nutrients to stay strong, white, and cavity-free. "For good dental health, it’s important to eat a variety of foods from each of the five major food groups," Harms says. This ensures that your teeth get the essential nutrients they need. Calcium, found in dairy products and leafy greens, is especially important for your teeth. Phosphorous, which can be found in proteins such as eggs, fish, poultry, meat, and dairy, is also essential. Both of these nutrients help protect and restore the enamel on your teeth, according to the ADA. Limit snacks. Too much snacking isn’t only bad for your waistline; it’s bad for your smile, too. "Foods eaten as part of a meal cause less harm to teeth than eating lots of snacks throughout the day do because more saliva is released during a meal," Harms says. "Saliva helps wash foods from the mouth and lessens the effects of acids, which can harm teeth and cause cavities." Some snacking is inevitable, so make sure to opt for something healthy such as cheese, veggies, nuts, or fruit, the ADA recommends. Don’t smoke or use tobacco . Smoking and using any kind of tobacco stains your teeth, but it also affects your whole mouth, the ADA says. It causes gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss as well as oral cancer. If you have oral surgery or a tooth extraction, smoking can slow your healing time. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, find a plan that works for you to quit. Ask your doctor or dentist for help or look for local or online quit programs. Limit teeth-staining culprits. Your favorite beverages might be dulling your smile. Coffee, tea, and red wine are some of the biggest culprits, Harms says. "They have intense color pigments called chromogens that attach to the enamel, which is the white, outer part of your tooth." For whiter teeth, cut back on these teeth-staining beverages. To help counteract existing stains, consider using fluoride toothpaste that also whitens teeth, or ask your dentist about whitening treatments to help reverse any damage. Drink plenty of water . It’s healthy, it’s free, it’s widely available, and it’s great for your oral health — so try...