When you find that you may be dealing with gum disease, you need to think about scheduling an appointment with your local periodontist. Even if you take the time to brush and floss regularly, and you have regular dental cleanings, there could still be a chance that you will be subject to periodontal disease. If so, you will need to see a specialist and learn what will be your best option moving forward.
Signs And Symptoms
Nobody wants to have dental issues, so there are a few different ways that you can check to see if you are experiencing some of the symptoms and signs of gum disease. To start with, you should look in the mirror to see if you have a gum line that is swollen, red, or both. Take the time to brush and floss our teeth and see if you also notice any bleeding or sensitivity around your gum line. If you do, it will be time to make an appointment to see a specialist.
Got diseased gums? Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is a reality for many people, but the good news is that it is 100 percent preventable… and also treatable.
Causes Of Periodontal Disease
Gum disease is an “illness” of negligence. It is the build up of bacteria in the mouth that take kindly to the mouth’s mucus. This plus some other debris create a nice hard surface on the teeth, called plaque. Brushing and flossing regularly is a great way to ensure that plaque does not build up on the teeth. Though, it is simply easy to miss some spots. Other people just neglect brushing and/or flossing and give the plaque a chance to secure to the teeth and gums.
We don’t want to scare you…okay, perhaps we do. However, we’re scaring you for a good reason…to get you to take your oral health more seriously!
We found a recent online article by Dr. Peter Galgut at Express.co.uk that once again reveals the scientific studies that connect poor oral health and hygiene to many of today’s most harmful diseases, such as: heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and more.
Gum disease is an infection caused by dental plaque bacteria that creep in underneath the gums. This infection slowly erodes away the foundations of the teeth. Then the gums start to shrink, the teeth get loose and wobbly and, if left untreated, we finally end up with abscesses and the loss of our teeth. But that’s not all.
Research has shown that gum infections have very harmful effects throughout our bodies. Did you know there is a major connection between gum disease and heart disease?
It is now known that the bacteria from gum disease can settle on the heart valves and cause permanent damage to them. Once this happens the heart will be unable to work efficiently and it becomes more susceptible to other infections.
Also, women who have active gum disease during their pregnancy are more likely to have pre-term and low birth weight babies as the body cannot concentrate all its resources on the baby while it has to continuously fight off an ongoing infection in the mouth.
We also know that those with uncontrolled diabetes are more susceptible to infections. If these people also have gum disease either it gets worse or the diabetes becomes more difficult to control, or both. So if the immune system has to struggle to control two problems at the same time to try to maintain health, it often fails to manage either.
Worryingly, rheumatoid arthritis has been linked with gum disease and more recently bowel cancer, asthma and even erectile dysfunction.
As more and more medical conditions are associated with this ongoing silent infection, it is clear that although gum disease does not cause pain, swelling or any other alarming symptoms in its early stages, the effects of the infection from the highly toxic bacteria lodged underneath the gums echo throughout our bodies and can cause or contribute significantly to other illnesses.
Again, we want you to take your oral health seriously. At Shine Dental Associates we have an excellent team of dentists, hygienists, and a board certified periodontist to provide the very best dental care on Long Island. Give us a call today for a free consultation at (516) 348-8500.
A recent article reported at Foxnews.com by Julie Relevant discusses the connection between pregnancy and oral health. The data is pretty revealing and conclusive that, if you’re pregnant, you are more likely to develop conditions, such as gingivitis and periodontal disease.
As explained in the article…
Pregnancy gingivitis occurs because the increase in the hormone progesterone during pregnancy causes an exaggerated response to the plaque that’s already in your mouth. “The reaction to those toxins and those poisons from the plaque build-up is increased,” according to Dr. Amanda Seay, Orbit for Kids gum spokesperson.
And even if you’re diligent about brushing and flossing, pregnancy gingivitis can still be a problem. If left untreated, it can lead to periodontal disease, which studies show increases your risk for having a preterm and low birth weight baby.
If you’re pregnant call Shine Dental Associates today to schedule a periodontal exam with our board certified periodontist who will assess the state of your oral health and make sure that you do not develop gum disease or other oral health problems during your pregnancy.
Experts indicate that periodontal disease is on the rise and point to three significant reasons for this unfortunate development. First, our population is aging, and gum disease is often seen in elderly adults. Second, smoking and escalating chronic health conditions like diabetes have a dramatic impact on oral health. However, the third and more troubling issue is that routine dental checkups are being put off in these difficult economic times, allowing small problems to escalate into severe issues.
Periodontists offer important dental services for people of all ages that can intervene now to stop erosion of oral health and restore a sense of well-being. Periodontists fight the effects of gum disease, caused by a buildup of plaque and tartar on the teeth.
In its earliest stages as gingivitis, gums may appear puffy and inflamed. If addressed vigorously at this stage, a solid regimen of brushing and flossing, along with routine care by your dentist can resolve the issue. But as the plaque hardens into tartar and settles into the gum line, bacterial pockets form around the teeth and eat away at the tissue and bone holding them in place. Without intervention, tooth loss will often occur. Persons who smoke and have chronic conditions like diabetes are at even greater risk for the serious forms of periodontal gum disease.
Periodontists, like Dr. Vikas Mittle at Shine Dental Associates, have many tools in their arsenal to fight periodontal gum disease. Through root scaling and planing, they can clean away infections around the root of the tooth to save it from bone and tissue erosion. They offer many surgical techniques designed to strengthen damaged bone and help to regenerate gums that may have receded away from the teeth. When needed, periodontists also offer dental implant surgery to replace missing teeth and help stabilize the bite.
Good oral health is an essential component of living well. Periodontists diagnose and treat complex dental issues so that you have a smile to be proud of. Even more importantly they address serious dental issues through expert care that will enhance your overall physical health and keep you feeling younger even into your mature years.
For a free consultation with Shine Dental Associate’s board certified periodontist please call (516) 348-8500.
If you have inflammation and infection of the ligaments and bone structure that supports the teeth, you are not alone. Many adults in the US suffer from periodontal disease, which is a kind of gum disease that affects the bone structure around the teeth. This irritation is caused because of the reaction of the gums to food debris, calculus and plaque building up between the teeth and the gums.
Gum tissues would become red and swollen as a result. Even bleeding can occur when brushing the teeth and flossing.
This article will highlight three tips to avoid periodontal disease.
1. Taking regular care of your mouth is very important to avoid periodontal disease. Brushing the teeth twice a day, flossing a few minutes a day and using an effective mouthwash is very important in this regard. The first two methods will help to remove food particles from between the teeth and the gums while the mouthwash will help to reduce bacterial action in the mouth.
2. Eating adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables are very important to maintain healthy gums and teeth. Consuming plenty of fluoridated water and calcium rich foods are also important in this regard. Avoiding sugary foodstuff is mandatory in maintaining good oral health. Regular exercises will help to improve blood flow, which is important to the gums and teeth roots.
3. Visiting your dentist at least twice a year is very important to prevent any oral diseases. “Prevention is better than cure”, this old saying is very true as visiting the dentist can help to identify any abnormalities in your gums or teeth. Dental x-rays can help to keep you updated about the bone structure of your teeth. Any early signs of oral disease can be diagnosed by your regular visits to the dentist.
Call Shine Dental Associates at (516) 348-8500 to schedule your next dental check up.
Periodontal disease can form whenever you develop gingivitis in your mouth that goes untreated. As it advances into periodontal disease, the gums will actually pull away from the teeth and start to form spaces that are known as pockets, which can become infected. In order to avoid periodontal disease, it is important to keep a good oral hygiene regimen in place. Practicing good dental habits along with dental visits and a balanced diet are a great way to get started.
For many years dentists and periodontists have warned about the causal connection between poor oral health and systemic diseases, such as: diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, as well as other inflammatory related ailments.
Recently, a study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine has established a strong connection between men with gum disease and erectile dysfunction (ED).
As reported on the website Female First…
This does not surprise Periodontist (gum disease specialist) Dr Peter Galgut – twice winner of UK Dentist of the Year – who explained that the researchers who conducted the study found that 53 per cent of the men with ED had severe gum disease compared with 23 per cent who did not.The study involved 80 men with ED and 82 without the condition, none of whom smoked (since smoking is a risk factor for both ED and gum disease). The study participants were restricted to 30 to 40 years of age in an effort to rule out age as a risk factor and after allowing for this as well as, body mass index (BMI), household income and education status, the association between compromised Oral health and ED prevailed. The study authors concluded “We think that it will be of benefit to consider periodontal disease as a causative factor in the clinical condition of ED.
Given the devastating effect of erectile dysfunction on your intimate relationship(s) don’t you think this is a good time to contact our office to speak with Dr. Mittle our board certified periodontist about the condition of your teeth and gums?
You can reach our office at (516) 348-8500.
Dr. Mittle, a board certified periodontist, discusses the connection between the health of your gums and systemic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, GERD, acid reflux, liver disease, etc.
Hi, my name is Dr. Vik Mittle. I am a Board Certified Periodontist at Shine Dental Associates, located in Syosset.
There are several signs showing the fact that you have gum disease or periodontal disease. Some of the most common signs that people always talk about, what you see in the newspapers or TV commercials are bleeding gums. That’s a very important sign because, in fact, that means that your gums are inflamed. You have a lot of bacteria and a lot of plague that’s underneath your gums which causes your body to respond.
If you have loose teeth, if your gums bleed…this may be a serious problem because you may have periodontal disease, or bone loss around your teeth.
Bone is what stabilizes your teeth together and if your gums bleed you may have inflammation and bone destruction.
This is a very serious problem that can not only effect your teeth and possibly lead to complete loss of your teeth, but it can also have negative consequences for your overall health because there is a strong relationship between periodontal disease and heart disease, diabetes, kidney problems, and more, as Board Certified Periodontist, Dr. Vikas Mittle explains in this video…