75% of all adult tooth loss is due to periodontal disease.
When your gums and bone are damaged by periodontal infection, there
is less support for your teeth. As this support disappears, your
teeth first become loose and then can be lost. When periodontal treatment
is recommended, it is important to get started right away.
If the infection continues, you can start to lose your
teeth one at a time. These lost teeth will have to be replaced with
dental work, such as:
- Bridges
- Dental Implants
- Partial Dentures
- Full Dentures
If tooth loss continues, it can lead to dentures. Many
patients don't understand the full consequences of wearing dentures.
There can be many problems with dentures including:
- Inability to eat certain foods
- Lowered ability to feel and taste foods
- Lisping
or clacking when speaking
- Bad breath or smell
- Pain or discomfort
- The look of dentures
- Self-consciousness and embarrassment
- Looking old
- Taking your dentures out at night and soaking them.
- Your spouse
seeing you without teeth at night.
"People think of gum disease in terms of their
teeth, but they don't think about the fact that gum disease is a
serious infection that can release bacteria into the bloodstream"
Dr. Robert Genco, editor Journal of Periodontology
Recent studies have shown that people with periodontal disease are 2.7 times
more likely to suffer a heart attack.
Studies have also shown that people with periodontal disease are 3 times more
likely to suffer a stroke.
Women with periodontal disease are 7-8 times more likely to give birth prematurely
to a low birth-weight baby.
Periodontal infection can raise blood sugar in diabetic patients. Periodontal
treatment often results in a reduced need for insulin.
Periodontal infection in the mouth can be breathed in and increase the severity
of such respiratory diseases as pneumonia, bronchitis and emphysema.
Research using DNA testing has found that periodontal bacteria can be transmitted
from parent to child and spouse to spouse.
Periodontal disease is no longer thought of as just a dental problem. Research
is finding many correlations between periodontal infection and serious medical
problems.
These correlations are particularly serious for those
patients who are in a higher risk category such as:
Those having a personal or family history of:
- Heart Disease
- Heart Attack
- Stroke
- Premature Childbirth
- Diabetes
- Respiratory Diseases
Those having higher risk lifestyles, including:
- Chronic Stress
- Smoker
- Sedentary and Overweight
- Frequent Colds, Flu, etc.
If you have been told you have periodontal infection (or have some of its symptoms),
it is vital that you seek evaluation and treatment.
|
