04.30.10
Gum Disease Is Preventable
With all the dental care available in the US, from federal, State and local charities, there is no excuse for people to endure gum disease. Also known as periodontal disease, it is seen in about 1/3 of all people across the country. It is not location specific, or based on any income level, gum disease appears in all walks of life whenever appropriate dental care is not utilized. Cleaning your teeth will take off plaque deposits, which is how gum disease gets stated. Neglecting to clean your teeth often enough will cause them to develop this plaque that collects on the surface of the teeth, and becomes a breeding ground for microbes. If these microbes are left unchecked, they will develop into solid deposits called “calculus”. If this is left to continue, calculus will go to the next stage which is called “gingivitis”. Gingivitis will allow your gums to swell and sometimes bleed. By this time, nearly everybody will have enough sense to go to a dentist in Plano, but you would be astonished at how many do not. When this happens, the individual will acquire “pereodontitis”. This is when there is so much inflammation and pain, infection and perpetual damage can begin. A “periodontal pocket” will form, providing the microbes a decent, safe place to dwell, ultimately making the individuals teeth to become loose and fall out. At this point, people who suffer from this will have produced bad breath, and a dull, aching pain in their teeth and gums. It won’t take long before abscesses start to develop and more serious health considerations can start, that will affect your whole body. Advanced gum disease has been connected to heart disease such as stroke, and complications in pregnancy. As people advance in age, and start to experience other health problems, they will need to pay more attention to their teeth because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and it is never truer than here. Treating gum disease early will let you to go much longer, even forever with few to no issues involving your teeth. Treatment typically involves “scaling and root planning”. These actions will remove all the plaque, and address any buildups below the gum line with ultra sonic devices. If infection has set in, antibiotics are available, and very often they are given out for free from the national grocery store chains no matter where you live. If someone’s tooth decay has proceeded to the point that their bone is being affected, they will need to get in touch with a “periodontist,” a doctor who focuses on gum and bone grafting surgery. These routines can be done in the dental office with only a local anesthetic, antibiotics, and pain medications for a couple of days. It is a small price to pay in order to keep your teeth, because without them we would be suffering in silence for something that is easily corrected no matter where you are.
