A significant portion of population has some form of gum disease, and most are not aware of it. Gum disease is defined as a bacterial infection that surrounds one or more teeth. In most cases gum disease causes little to no discomfort and has few obvious symptoms in its early stages. However, it can quickly escalate to cause significant problems for your oral health as well as your overall health. Beyond compromising your oral health, gum disease has strong correlation with stroke, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, as well as complications in pregnancy, and problems controlling diabetes.

Gum disease is an infection of the gums around your teeth. It is a progressive condition and over time it will irreversibly damage the gums and the bones that support your teeth. Gum disease not tooth decay is actually the leading cause of tooth loss among American adults. Gum disease is a chronic infection, and it threatens your overall health in several ways. Bacteria is spread through your body through your blood stream, infecting your heart or lungs. Which is why there is a strong correlation between gum disease and life threatening events such as heart attack and stroke. Gum disease creates a state of chronic inflammation in your mouth and it is then spread throughout the body. This inflammation can contribute to your risk of different types of cancer and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis.

Gum disease risk factors include are divided into three areas. First is oral hygiene, and poor homecare is the number one cause of periodontal disease. However, in some patients good oral hygiene alone is not enough. The second risk factor is genetics, if either of your parents were diagnosed with gum disease you may have elevated levels of the bacteria that cause gum disease. Just because your parents lost teeth to gum disease does not mean you have to as well. Interventional gum therapy at Bogey Hills Dental will help fight the bacteria and help you keep your teeth. The third risk factor is environmental: tobacco use, hormonal problems, certain medications, teeth grinding, stress, nutritional deficiencies, and immune system problems all make it harder to control gum disease. It’s important to regularly assess gum health so that gum disease can be caught early, treated, and the most importantly maintained.

Bogey Hills Dental has one of the most immersive and successful gum therapy programs in St. Charles County. When gum disease is caught and treated early enough, periodontal problems may be reversible without surgery. Periodontal treatments for early stage gum disease depend on the risk factors for each individual patient but may include recommendations for a better oral hygiene care as well as professional scaling and root planing or “deep cleaning”. Immediate improvement is often experienced by many patients after treatment, but in cases where symptoms and gum condition doesn’t improve significantly, we may recommend surgical treatments to stop the progression of the periodontal disease.