Periodontal Disease
Considered the primary cause of tooth loss in humans, unfortunately, it can be silent. It already shows subtle signs such as bleeding in young children, affects more than half of adolescents, and 70% of the adult population has some degree of ligament and bone loss, reaching the alarming level where less than 10% of the elderly population retain their teeth due to its progression.
Periodontal disease is a condition that affects from the gum to the bone surrounding and supporting your tooth. The three stages of periodontal disease, ranging from less to more severe, are gingivitis, periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis.
Bleeding gums pave the way for tartar formation, which penetrates beneath the gumline, destroying ligaments, fibers, and supporting bone that hold and secure the teeth. This creates a POCKET, akin to a kangaroo pouch, impossible to clean. Consequently, tartar deepens further.
Work by Sir Lankan:
A classic study on the evolution of periodontal disease in humans within a control group without Western influence, oral hygiene, or prevention measures. It concluded that 90% of the population followed over 30 years would lose their teeth due to periodontal disease. People affected by the most aggressive and rapidly progressing form typically start experiencing symptoms from the age of 20, with most of the control group affected from the age of 30.
Preventive Approach Work: Non-Surgical Therapy
Due to the results of the aforementioned classic work in the late 1990s, researchers began investing in NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT. Seeking more conservative treatments, extensive studies concluded that periodontal pockets were a consequence of the disease. Continuing treatments that cut tissues without addressing bacterial plaque control at the gum level proved ineffective. Educating patients alongside cleaning periodontal pockets showed lasting results without compromising the previously surgically cut structure.
Studies worldwide demonstrated that irrespective of genetic inheritance, children receiving preventive gum-level oral hygiene care had completely prevented destructive periodontal disease.
Signs and Symptoms:
Periodontal disease doesn't always cause pain, so it's crucial to be aware of any of the following symptoms:
- Gums that bleed easily during brushing or flossing
- Swollen, red, or painful gums
- Receding gums
- Persistent bad breath or bad taste in the mouth
- Loose teeth
- Partial dentures that no longer fit
- Visible pus around teeth and gums
- Sharp pains when chewing food
- Teeth overly sensitive to cold temperatures
Serious Infections: Heart - Lungs - Pregnant Women - Diabetes - Cancer
Despite causing discomfort only in its advanced stages and the lack of public awareness by health authorities, periodontal disease is AN INFECTION THAT SERVES AS A CAUSE FOR SERIOUS SYSTEMIC DISEASES, INCLUDING CARDIAC AND PULMONARY CONDITIONS. In patients with compromised immunity, a chronic disease left untreated for years can worsen or spread to other organs. It is also associated with premature births and low birth weight babies. The chronic and latent state of periodontal disease allows inflammatory mediators to affect the patient's systemic health.
Periodontal Examination:
Probing During your dental visit, you should receive a mirror and observe the probing of the gum margins of all teeth. ALWAYS. Most first-time patients I attend to are not accustomed to this examination, meaning they have been VICTIMS of insufficient information from previous dental professionals. They have the disease without knowing it.