Periodontal Care

Periodontal disease is also known as gum disease. Gum disease is an infectious disease that effects the bone and soft tissues that support your teeth. Your gums go around your teeth like the collar of your shirt goes around your neck. This creates a pocket that surrounds your tooth. In healthy tissue this pocket ranges from 1-3 mm. The plaque that sticks to your teeth also resides in these pockets. An inflammatory response results when your immune system tries to kill these bacteria. In some cases the battle that rages between the bacteria and the cells of your immune system results in the loss bone that supports your teeth.

If you develop this disease then you are more likely to experience tooth loss. Other negative impacts to your oral health include persistent bad breath, bleeding gums, and painful acute infections. Periodontal disease has also been shown to have an impact on your overall health as well. For example, it has been shown that people with moderate periodontal disease are 2.5 times more likely to develop arteriosclerosis (hardened arteries). For these reasons it is important to prevent gum disease by having the bacteria removed from the pockets. This is done when the hygienist does your "cleaning". Periodontal disease is difficult to cure and often requires multiple visits and different interventions that can include antibacterial therapies, laser treatments and even gum surgeries in severe cases.