Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is a serious oral condition that needs to be diagnosed and addressed as soon as symptoms arise. Patients who are dealing with gum disease may never be able to “cure” it, but many will be able to undergo an extensive treatment plan and specialized at-home care that can improve the condition and keep it from worsening to the point of resulting in irreversible damage. Many times patients are not aware there is a problem because gum disease is rarely painful. It can progress gradually and is usually hidden from sight. Patients may even take for granted some key signs of the disease such as bleeding gums when you brush or floss. You may see blood when you rinse after brushing. You may have a bad odor or taste in your mouth.
As part of our new patient examination, we do a full periodontal charting and workup. During this examination, we will determine and diagnose if gum disease is present. In order to do this, we will:
- Take measurements around the gums, looking for pockets and measuring pocket depth
- Check for signs of bleeding and irritation
- Look for gum recession
- Check for any loose or mobile teeth in the mouth
- Determine the overall condition of the gums
- Take several x-rays to examine the condition of the mouth underneath the gums
Healthy Teeth But Unhealthy Gums Learn More About Gum Disease
Do your gums bleed when you brush or floss? Or perhaps when you eat popcorn or chips? This could be an early sign of gum disease or gingivitis. Without treatment gingivitis, can lead to a more serious condition; periodontitis. In this more advanced stage of gum disease, your gums pull away from your teeth forming pockets in your gums that can become infected, eventually leaving your entire tooth exposed, making it wiggle to the touch. Sometimes the infection becomes so severe that it spreads to the jaw, breaking down bone and tissue that hold teeth in place. Left untreated you can suffer complete tooth loss. Periodontal disease can be treated. We have a variety of ways to approach gum disease depending on your particular situation. Call today to see how we can help you stop the damage to your gums caused by periodontal disease.
Gum disease is no joke: Whoopi Goldberg shares her story
Whoopie Goldberg speaks about her personal experience with Gum disease and how it can affect your life and health. Gum disease can kill you. Hello and welcome to the view and boy am I glad to be back. Yeah we missed you, and I missed you guys. You look better today! So much better today – emergency gum surgery. You had the chipmunk teeth? I had the chipmunk teeth and whenever you get and infection in your face and it alters the way you look, people do this – I came into work yesterday and everyone looked and went hey! (laughs) how are you? my face was up to here! I was not feeling so good! Her face was so swollen she couldn’t even look down to dial the phone, yeah! Like Joan Rivers face! She can’t look down too poor thing. When Whoopi came through you tried not to have the horror on your face – who beat you? I looked like I had got beat up. Tell you again I said it when I discovered all the minutia in my mouth take care of your teeth and I am embarrassed to say this to people. I have great dental insurance and I did nothing with it for years and years. I let my mouth go and I am paying the price I am losing teeth because I am losing bone and I brought this on myself because I could have prevented it. It is your mouth is connected to your entire system – your immune system if you do not take care of your mouth you are not taking care of your body and It will kill you. What?? Gum disease can kill you? Sounds like an exaggeration – it is not an exaggeration – Whoopi is right! As you saw I don’t know whether you guys know this but about a week ago they finally linked mouth health to heart health. This isn’t that new we’ve (dentists) have known about this for years. Gum disease is chronic inflammatory disease. It has been linked to… Heart disease, Stroke, Premature birth, Pancreatic Cancer – no joke. Gum disease can, I was having a talk with a good family friend and he is a dentist and he said that for the first time in a long time the physicians are actually connecting now – you have cardiologists speaking to dentists and physicians dealing with oral care and there is a good conversation going on between the 2 medical fields which is great. You know listen if you are a certain age we didn’t go to dentist who cared about how you felt ok they went in your mouth and Grrrr! There was no sweetness what so ever dentistry has changed so much. It has! That it is really – they can do it they can take care of it and it is easier to teach your kids and grandkids about it – I am begging you save your own life don’t do what I have done because I am going to lose my teeth and when it happens I will let you know what is going on because they will be fake in my mouth – there is no tooth fairy for adults – yet! Threes no tooth fairy yet! Do your gums bleed ever? They shouldn’t. Do you have bad breath? Do you have any loose teeth? If it’s been a while since you’ve been to the dentist… Make an appointment today! It could add years to your life. It could even save your life – thanks Whoopie!
Many patients who haven’t been to the dentist for quite some time may come in for a simple cleaning, but will undergo extensive examination to ensure that there is not an underlying problem that is happening. When Dr. A examines the patient, he will check to make sure there are no signs of gum disease or periodontal disease that may wreak havoc on the patient’s smile, and will do everything possible to inform the patient of the problem and what they can do to improve it.
Dr. A also focuses on providing his patients with patient education. Teaching his patients about the signs and symptoms to look for when it comes to periodontal disease will assist them in knowing when they need to see the dentist. Patients will have a better understanding as to the severity of the problem and the importance of good oral hygiene, and will know when it’s time for a check-up.
It is very important that Dr. A create a specific treatment plan for patients who are undergoing treatment of gum disease. His hygienists are trained to also teach patients on the proper ways to care for their teeth, and how to effectively brush and floss every day. Each treatment plan is made specifically for the individual patient’s particular needs, and focuses on what they need to address.
Innovative Dental By Dr. A is here to help. Call our office today to schedule a consultation appointment and get started on the road to a healthier, happier smile!
