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 Dental Hygienist, Mary Southerlan, says that she begins each
appointment with this question and usually gets the same answer in
the affirmative.
However, she says, “Healthy gums should not bleed when brushing or
flossing.”
Southerlan says, “I usually follow up with the question: If your arm
bled every time you took a shower, would you worry? And the response
is always, yes. So, if you notice that your gums are bleeding you
should be worried.”
Southerlan illustrates the level of the problem, the causes and
what you can do:
Over 75 % percent of Americans over age 35 have some form of gum
disease. At the earliest stage, you might notice bleeding and
inflammation. The end stages result in loss of teeth.
Teeth can last a lifetime, if you take care of them.
The mouth contains millions of bacteria. Some are harmless, while
others can attack the teeth and gums. Harmful bacteria is a
colorless sticky film called plaque, the cause of gum disease.
Plaque builds up on all of our teeth daily and if not removed by
brush and floss it will irritate the gums causing swelling and
bleeding, and left untreated will progress.
Early gum disease is called gingivitis. It affects the gums, but as
the disease progresses it actually causes bone loss with the
eventual loss of teeth.
 The bacteria that cause gum disease is also closely associated with
diabetes, and heart disease, strokes and low birth weight babies.
Your mouth is the gateway to having overall health.
The Surgeon General issued a report in May 2000 calling bad oral
health a “silent epidemic” and called for a national effort to
improve oral health.
The good news is, gum disease is preventable by brushing 2 minutes
2X daily and flossing under the gums 1X daily.
What is gum disease?
Gum disease or periodontal disease begins with plaque, which is
always forming on our teeth. When it accumulates and is not removed
with proper brushing and flossing it starts to cause infection
around the gums. It eventually hardens into a substance called
calculus or tartar that cannot be removed by brushing and flossing.
It can only be removed by a professional cleaning.
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease and means the gums
become red and swollen and bleed. The gums may be irritated, but the
bone level around the teeth is good and teeth are still firmly in
place. If not caught in this early stage, which is reversible,
gingivitis progresses to periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease means that the inner layer of the gum and bone
pull away from the teeth (recede), and form pockets. These small
spaces between the tooth and the gum collect debris and become
infected. The body’s immune system fights this bacteria and the
plaque spreads and grows below the gum line.
Toxins and the body’s enzymes fighting the infection start to break
down the bone and connective tissues that hold the teeth in place.
The disease will progress to where the pockets deepen and more gum
tissue and bone are destroyed. There is no longer an anchor for the
teeth and they become loose. The outcome is tooth loss.
Symptoms of periodontal disease can be subtle, but not without early
warning signs:
- Bleeding during tooth brushing and or flossing
- Red, swollen or tender gums
- Persistent bad breath or bad taste in mouth
- Receding gums
- Formation of deep pockets between gums and teeth
- Loose or shifting teeth
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Periodontal disease can be easily diagnosed at your routine dental
visit. Your hygienist or dentist can check the space between the
teeth and gums with a probe that is like a tiny ruler. Normal
measurements are 1 – 3 millimeters . The bigger the number the more
advanced the disease process.
Treatments vary depending on the stage of gum disease present. When
caught in the early stages a regular cleaning may be all that is
needed, followed by routine six-month recalls.
A procedure called scaling and root planing may be required if the
pockets are deeper and there is bone loss. This is done by doing a
quadrant at a time and the patient will be numb for the procedure.
The hygienist will scale above and below the gum line reaching into
the pockets removing the hard deposit. Many times an antibacterial
medicine will be irrigated into the pockets and in some severe cases
a new drug from the arsenal against serious gum disease called
Periostat.
Periostat was approved by the FDA in 1998 to be used in combination
with S/RP. Advanced periodontal disease that cannot be treated in
the dental office will be referred to a Periodontist, who
specializes in treating periodontal disease.
All these treatments require diligent home care and regular follow
up visits to monitor the disease. Once you have periodontal disease
you cannot get rid of it, but can stop the progression of the
disease. Brushing and flossing below the gum line, and a healthy
diet are crucial to maintain gum health.
Gum disease not only affects adults, but can affect children and
teenagers also. Plaque builds up on everyone therefore making us all
susceptible to this disease.
Plaque not only causes gum disease, but it can cause decay. If left
on the teeth it combines with the sugars in your diet to produce an
acid which breaks down the enamel.
Plaque along with the intake of sugary drinks or foods can cause
many teeth to decay. Tooth decay in children is one of the most
chronic health problems in children.
Decay can cause severe pain, infection and in some cases can make
the patient sick or even cause death if an infection is left
untreated. Untreated decay causes trouble with eating, speaking,
missed days at school and makes it hard for children to concentrate
on school work.
Remember 2 minutes, 2X daily and flossing 1X daily. Eating
healthy foods and drinks with regular checkups to your dentist can
provide a lifetime of health. Remember, don’t floss all your teeth
just the ones you want to keep!! A Healthy Mouth = A Healthy You!
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