Periodontal Disease- The Gentle Dentist

Hi, my name is Margie, I am a dental hygienist here for Dr. Robert Antolak, the Gentle Dentist in Shelby Township, Michigan and I briefly wanted to talk to you today about periodontal disease. Most people have no idea how a problem it is, the percentage is about 70 to 80 percent of all Americans have some form of it. It could be something as simple as just going to the dentist and having yourself checked each and every time you come in to have a simple screening done which consists of measuring the depth of how far underneath the gum you can go around every individual tooth. It’s something very simple, relatively painless and this can be done actually every 6 months you come in and if you do that you can prevent a major difference in the protocol that would have to be done if you had something that was more extreme, if you let it go for years. It could be something as simple just as a routine scaling, something a little bit more.

Step 2 would be a root planning scale, which is a more in depth scaling that we numb you up, so I can get all the way down to the pocket, remove all the debris, and when you heal, hopefully, those pockets will tighten up to the, closer to the tooth and have better results that way. Or, you’ve got something that’s more extreme and has to have, you have to have surgery. So, to prevent that, all you have to do is come to the dentist regularly, and it can be, noted on your chart and you, you have the charting done. We mark it, we check it each and every time. Just, again, to prevent anything from getting any worse.

So if you come in on a regular basis, things can be so much more bearable than to have to go through surgery. So come visit us in our office in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our number is (586) 247-3500, and we are thegentledentist.com.

What is Periodontal Disease?

What is periodontal disease? It is the inflammation of the surrounding structures of the teeth, including bone and soft tissues. It can be as simple as gum inflammation or more serious involving the surrounding tissues and the bone. When there is a surmountable amount of bone loss, the teeth loosen and can eventually lead to tooth loss.

If you have been told you have periodontal disease (or periodontitis), it does not mean you will automatically lose your teeth.  It also does not necessarily mean you need surgery.  There are non-surgical procedures that can be performed by your dentist or dental hygienist that have remarkable results.  A lot depends on you and your homecare. If these procedures do not produce the wanted results, you may eventually  have to submit to surgery.

We all have bacteria in our mouth that combines with our saliva to produce what is called plaque. This plaque is sticky and needs to be removed by flossing and brushing.  The plaque releases toxins that irritate the gums (which make them inflamed). Since plaque is produced continuously,  the need to remove the plaque daily is necessary. If it is not, the inflammation of gum tissues will occur and you will have bleeding when you do finally brush and floss. This stage of the disease is called “gingivitis” and is reversible.  But,If you do not seek treatment it may proceed to “periodontitis“.

In periodontitis, there are many stages.  The number of appointments depends on the severity of the case.   Root planing and scaling is one very common  procedure that involves removing plaque and tartar under the gums and smoothing of the root surface. Tartar is the plaque that was not removed when it was sticky and newly formed . After time it hardens and cannot be removed with flossing and brushing. After removing the plaque and tartar the tissues will have a chance to heal to a healthy condition. But it does not stop here. You have to do your homecare to help the healing process and to keep the tissues in this healthy state. You may need to use multiple tools such as a waterpik, sonicare toothbrush, very small brushes to reach difficult areas. There are many other additional aids that your dentist or dental hygienist can recommend.  Your home care also includes your overall health.  There are studies showing that smokers have a greater risk of developing periodontal disease and that smoking impairs the healing process. Smoking and periodontal or gum disease also go hand and hand with heart disease.  So periodontal disease can impair your overall health. Remember a lot depends on you!

If you think you may have periodontal disease give Dr. Antolak a call at 586.247.3500.  Our dental office is located in Shelby Township, Michigan and provides dental services to patients throughout southeast Michigan.

Shelby Dentist: Periodontal Disease and Chronic Inflammation Treatment

Do you have bad breath, bleeding gums when brushing or flossing, loose teeth or history of tooth loss?  If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you may have periodontal disease. Gum disease is very common. Unfortunately most people don’t even know that they have periodontal (gum) disease.  It isn’t until it is too late when their teeth start getting loose that they want to do something about it and many times it is too late and they have to have their teeth removed or need extensive treatment.  In fact, with recent research linking the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and low birth weight babies with periodontal disease and bleeding gums it is critical to have your mouth assessed for this infective disease. The bacteria in the gums leach out in the blood stream requiring the body’s immune system to constantly fight off these invaders.

This constant and chronic immune response is not a good thing because it causes chronic inflammation. Over the past 3-4 years research has been showing that chronic systemic inflammatory diseases such as periodontal disease can increase the level of a substance called c-Reactive protein. The liver releases this substance in response to systemic inflammation.  As the level of c-reactive protein increases so does the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart attack, and diabetes according to multiple clinical studies. In fact, testing for C-reactive protein in a blood test may be an effective early warning test for asymptomatic, or presymptomatic heart disease.

Listed are chronic systemic diseases that can increase the c-Reactive protein levels in the blood.

  • acne allergies and sensitivities
  • Alzheimer’ss disease
  • arthritis/rheumatoid arthritis
  • asthma
  • atherosclerosis
  • bronchitis
  • cancer
  • carditis
  • celiac disease
  • chronic pain
  • Crohn’s disease
  • cirrhosis
  • colitis
  • dementia
  • dermatitis
  • diabetes
  • edema
  • emphysema
  • eczema
  • fibromyalgia
  • gastroenteritis
  • gingivitis
  • heart disease
  • hepatitis
  • high blood pressure
  • interstitial cystitis
  • myositis
  • nephritis
  • obesity
  • osteopenia
  • osteoporosis
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • periodontal disease
  • polyarteritis
  • polychondritis
  • psoriasis
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • scleroderma
  • sinusitis
  • spastic colon
  • syndrome X
  • systemic candidiasis
  • tendonitis
  • UTI
  • vaginitis

We find that the c-reactive protein levels can significantly fall once the periodontal disease is treated which in effect can reduce their risk for heart attacks, stroke, diabetes and low weight preterm babies. In addition to the treatment in our office, we work to boost the body/s immune system by using anti-oxidants. For smokers, we highly suggest to them that they become part of a smoking cessation program. If you are in a high risk category and don’t know your status of periodontal disease then have it evaluated.  The c-reactive protein levels are evaluated by blood tests and since this is important indicator your periodontal status should also be tested.  This is to protect you and your heart.  If you don’t have a dentist you can contact our office at (586) 247-3500.  Our Dental Office is located in Shelby Township, Michigan — Southeast Michigan in Macomb County.

About The Author

Dr. Robert Antolak, DDS graduated from the University of Michigan in 1987 with his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. He is dedicated to providing the highest quality and appropriate cosmetic, sedation and general dentistry in the most comfortable and gentle way possible. Because being a dentist has been a lifelong dream, Dr. Antolak has a passion for the profession. He enjoys helping people feel better about their smiles and therefore their self-image with dental implant and cosmetic dentistry. His Dental Practice is located in Shelby Township, Michigan.  For more information visit The Gentle Dentist.