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:  Causes of Sensitive Teeth and Treatment Options

Shelby Dentist: Causes of Sensitive Teeth and Treatment Options

Shelby Dentist, Dr. Robert AntolakThis month I would like to discuss another dental issue and problem that many people (approximately 40 Million Americans) suffer with: Sensitive teeth.

Teeth are composed of enamel on the outside and the dentin which lies just under the enamel. Dentin contains very small tubes that have fluid in them.  When hot, cold, chemicals such as whitening agents or sweets pass by the surface of the dentin on the exposed roots and edges of teeth it moves the fluid in the micro tubes and this causes the pain by stimulating the nerve.  So when pain is felt it is actually an indirect contact with the nerve through this system and not a direct touching of the nerve.

The following are the most frequent causes of tooth sensitivity:

  • Brushing with excessive pressure with hard toothbrush bristles. Over time this aggressive act will take away the gum tissue, the bone and then the tooth leading to exposed root dentin which will make the teeth sensitive.  The use of a soft toothbrush using a gentle circular motion aiming at the gumline is the best way to safely brush the teeth without harm. I am often asked what is the best toothbrush?   I say a soft manual brush or even better is an electric brush like the Sonicare.  They are gentle on the teeth and effective on plaque removal while infusing oxygen into the plaque which helps to kill the bacteria between the teeth.
  • Periodontal disease will cause bone loss around the teeth giving the “long in the teeth” appearance. Some people falsely believe that this is a part of the natural aging process but it isn’t.  Periodontal disease is caused by a bacterial invasion under the gum line which eventually causes the bone to be lost.  Smokers and uncontrolled diabetics are the ones who are most likely to be diagnosed with this disease.
  • Grinding of the teeth from stress can create loss of bone and tooth structure where the root meets the gum. This is called an abfraction and is like a deep notch in the tooth.  When one grinds their teeth the teeth flex and under the right conditions these notches can deepen and become sensitive.  A small guard can prevent this from happening and an evaluation is necessary to make sure the bite is proper.  Sometimes it may be necessary to adjust the bite.
  • Abrasive toothpastes such as those containing baking soda can be harmful and abrade the tooth roots.
  • Acidic foods and beverages such as soft drinks can cause tooth pain by decaying the tooth. I had a patient recently ask me if lemon in the water can cause the sensitive teeth because she was using a lot of lemon.  This certainly increases the acid level in the mouth and causes them to be sensitive. Acid reflux especially at night is a contributing factor in that the stomach acid is very strong which leads to loss of enamel.  Bulimia  also makes the teeth exposed to the strong acids in the stomach, leading to really sensitive teeth.

These are the most common causes that lead to sensitive teeth.  Treatment includes such things as: fluoride rinses at home, tooth pastes such as Sensodine, Renamel and a number of other toothpastes which have a chemicals in them that literally “clogs” up the small microtubes in the dentin.  When these get “clogged up” they can’t transmit the fluid within the micro tubes and pain is reduced.  We have stronger “clogging agents”  that can be applied in the office which can make a significant difference in pain.   You must remember that  hard tooth brushing and acids will dissolve the reparative plugs that are formed so it is necessary to change the habits that have created the sensitive teeth in the first place.  It is best to visit your dentist to have this evaluated.  If you don’t have a current dental home then I would be happy to evaluate your situation so give us a call at (586)247-3500.

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.