Gum Disease

Just as tooth decay is a silent disease, gum disease (periodontitis) is also, perhaps even more so. Certain bacteria, mostly anaerobic (living without air), and yes, even other organisms such as amoeba, trichonomads, other protozoa (remember from biology class) and even yeast can and do invade around and under the gum, in the space between the tooth and the gum. There they produce toxic enzymes and your body creates an immune response. They also create plaque, a sticky film that helps them attach to the tooth. Left undisturbed, plaque will draw minerals from oral fluids and harden into tartar or calculus. All of this creates inflammation followed by serious eating away of that part of your jawbone that anchors your teeth, as you can see in the diagram to the right. Without early detection and treatment, this disease can be even more trouble than tooth decay, as it destroys the foundation which hold your teeth in. If you lose these structures, you will lose your teeth.

Gum Disease is Blissfully Painless

This process is generally completely painless and can go unnoticed until often the first symptom may be loosening of a tooth, at which point there is often little that can be done except amputation (extraction). Periodontal disease is a "silent killer" in that it affects 75-80% of all adults, most of whom are unaware that they have a problem! The breakdown process after teeth are lost can be even more rapid and difficult to correct. So our goal should and always will be to avoid any tooth loss, because your teeth are important parts of your body.

Preventing Gum Disease

Our focus, in our office, is on prevention. Keep gum disease from gaining a foothold—that's the goal. Regular professional cleanings are key. At each cleaning we screen for gum disease. And flossing. Flossing is what cleans out the plaque bacteria from between your teeth where periodontal disease invariably starts.

For more information, please see our page on preventing dental disease.