Healthy Gums Matter – Visit A Periodontist In Florida

By Author: nick smmith
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Periodontal (gum) disease, whether in the form of gingivitis or periodontitis, can lead to tooth loss if left untreated. The word periodontal means "around the tooth." Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth which can affect one tooth or many teeth. It begins when the bacteria in plaque (the sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth) causes the gums to become inflamed.

Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal disease.
It causes the gums to become red, swollen, and bleed easily. Gingivitis is often caused by inadequate oral hygiene. It is reversible with professional treatment and good oral home care.

Untreated gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. With time, plaque can spread and grow below the gum line. Toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque irritate the gums. The toxins stimulate a chronic inflammatory response in which the body turns on itself and the tissues and bone that support the teeth are broken down and destroyed. Gums separate from the teeth, forming pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums) that become infected. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are damaged. Often, this destructive process has very mild symptoms. Eventually, teeth can become loose and may have to be removed.

What can I expect if I visit a Periodontist in Florida?

After taking a detailed history, the dentist carefully looks for the color of the gum tissue, inside of the cheeks, tongue, any bleeding areas, redness or puffiness or inflammation, etc. With the help of the physical examination, the dentist is able to define the disease pattern through the various physical signs.

If a person is suffering from periodontal disease, there is a procedure known as periodontal screening and recording, which is used to calibrate the severity of disease. In this test, the dentist with the help of a mirror and a probe determines the depth of a pocket. In order to measure the depth, the probe is placed by the side of the tooth where as the pointer is placed in the pocket. The dentist then stops sliding the probe in the pocket when it touches the junction of the tooth and the connective tissue.

There are three points on each tooth that are being measured, three on the side of the cheek and three on the tongue side. If the depth of the pocket is deeper than 3 mm then this indicates the periodontal disease process. Your dentist may also take x rays.

With good oral hygiene and regular professional care, your teeth are meant to last a lifetime. However, if left untreated, periodontal disease is the primary cause of tooth loss in adults 35 and over. According to the 1996 American Dental Association/Colgate survey, U.S. dentists say gum disease is a more pressing oral health concern than tooth decay by 2-to-1. If you lose a tooth, the changes in your appearance, breath, and ability to chew food are dramatic. Emerging research also links periodontal disease to other health problems including heart and respiratory diseases, preterm, low birth weight babies, stroke, osteoporosis and diabetes.

Certain situations can exacerbate periodontal disease and should be avoided or corrected such as smoking, crowded teeth, bruxism (grinding teeth), stress, changes in hormone levels, medications that cause dry mouth or poor nutrition.

AAP treatment guidelines stress that periodontal health should be achieved in the least invasive and most cost-effective manner. This is often accomplished through non-surgical periodontal treatment, including scaling and root planing (a careful cleaning of the root surfaces to remove plaque and calculus [tartar] from deep periodontal pockets and to smooth the tooth root to remove bacterial toxins), followed by adjunctive therapy such as local delivery antimicrobials and host modulation, as needed on a case-by-case basis.

Most Periodontists in Florida would agree that after scaling and root planing, many patients do not require any further active treatment; however, the majority of patients will require ongoing maintenance therapy to sustain health of their gums. Non-surgical therapy does have its limitations; therefore surgery may be indicated to restore periodontal anatomy damaged by periodontal diseases and to facilitate oral hygiene practices. Periodontal surgery is necessary when the tissue around your teeth is unhealthy and cannot be repaired with non-surgical treatment. The four types of surgical treatments most commonly prescribed are:

• Pocket Reduction Procedures
• Regenerative Procedures
• Dental Crown Lengthening
• Gum Graft Surgery

New gum disease treatments including local anesthesia and over-the-counter medications, have made patients' treatment experiences pleasant and comfortable. Many patients find they are back to normal routines on the same day or by the next day.

For more information about Periodontists in Florida, Please visit at http://coralspringsdentist.net