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A healthy mouth leads to a healthy body. Today gum disease is the leading
cause of tooth loss in adults. Our office provides comprehensive and
individualized care for your gums, such that, you can keep your smile
for a lifetime. At your initial visit to the office, your gum tissues
are evaluated and treatment is prescribed. Combined with this treatment,
we work with you to develop good home care habits, so your gums and breath
remain healthy. Through comprehensive study, our office has been able
to provide a complete and integrated approach in treating all the different
phases of gum disease.
Signs and Symptoms of Gum Disease
Periodontitis is a silent condition, similar to high blood pressure,
cholesterol and diabetes. Individuals rarely experience pain and may
not be aware of the problem until it is too late. If you experience any
of the signs and symptoms below, you could be at risk and should call
the Bethesda Fresh Breath Center.
Periodontal Disease - Silent And Deadly
Periodontal disease can go on for years without pain and without detection
unless specific examination procedures are performed.
Visual oral examination by itself (even by a dentist) will not reliably
detect periodontal disease until it has reached an advanced stage.
Early detection and adequate diagnosis require measurement of pockets
(the crevice between the tooth and gum) with a periodontal probe. At
Dougherty Dental Care effective prevention and treatment is available,
but the damage caused as the disease progresses is irreversible.
Early detection by Dr. Dougherty and treatment is critical to prevent
tooth loss and disfigurement. Although the procedure is simple, painless
and requires only a few minutes, millions of American adults have never
had it done.
Some signs of periodontal disease are: bleeding gums, redness of gum
tissue, swelling of gums around the teeth, breath odor, receding gums,
mobility of teeth.
Gum And Bone Disease That Goes Undetected
Dr. Dougherty feels that prevention is an overused word in our vocabulary
but we all know it works. You see it in what you do every day. Who
wouldn't rather prevent a crisis than manage one?
In the Bethesda area awareness of gum and underlying bone disease is
very low. Only 50% of the population visits a dentist on a regular
basis. Of that 50%, 80% have some degree of gum and bone disease. It
is an epidemic.
Were this any other disease, we would be calling on the CDC for immediate
action!
Pregnant women and gum disease
Many mothers have experienced gum disease, during their pregnancy.
This is often seen as being a "normal" side effect of being
pregnant. However, dental disease, which is an infection of the teeth
and/or gums, is not "normal" for any patient.
There are three basic events that happen during pregnancy which make
the mother more susceptible to dental disease. First, hormonal changes
may make the gums more susceptible to gum disease.
Second, pregnant women tend to eat smaller, more frequent meals, exposing
their teeth and gums to sugars and acids often. Third, cravings for "junk
foods" and inadequate oral hygiene pose an increased threat to the
teeth and gums.
Pregnant women should be advised to schedule a dental evaluation and
receive preventive dental care. Personalized oral hygiene instruction
should also be given to fight disease and promote overall good health
for the mother and her baby
Gingivitis - Oral periodontal disease
Gingivitis is the most common form of periodontal disease, affecting
90% of the population, including our local Bethesda area community. It
is
an
infection of the gums caused by bacteria that form plaque.
In small amounts (when it is newly formed), plaque is invisible and
relatively harmless. But when left to accumulate, it increases in volume
and the proportion of harmful bacteria grows.
These bacteria release toxins that result in inflammation of the gum
tissue. Eventually, the plaque hardens and forms hard deposits called
calculus or tartar.
If not properly treated, gingivitis may progress to periodontitis, a
periodontal disease in which there is loss of the bone that supports
the teeth.
Severe gum disease can instigate joint replacement infections
Dr. Dougherty strongly recommends a thorough dental examination for
presence of tooth and gum infection prior to joint replacement.
Periodontal disease is a commonly occurring oral infection of the
adult population (80% of adults are affected) destroying the bony support
of the teeth. This infection slowly progresses over the lifetime of
the patient and is often manifested in the advanced stage in the senior
population.
Because of the lack of any discomfort to the patient until total loss
of bony support to the teeth, many adults are unaware that they have
this infection until they visit Dougherty Dental Care. However, the
bacteria from this bone destroying disease, especially in the more
advanced cases, has been attributed to possible infection of joint
replacements.
Candidates for joint replacements who have not been seen by Dr. Dougherty
in over a year should consider a thorough dental evaluation of their
teeth and gums before surgery.
Depending on the severity of the infection, treatment of gum infections
and tooth abscesses may take from two weeks to two months before the
patient reaches adequate health before surgery.
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