Periodontal Therapy
Healthier Gums or a Healthier Houston
Protect your teeth. Protect your health.
Dentistry just doesn’t focus on your teeth; it addresses your gumhealth, too. Healthy gumsare essential for attractive, comfortable, functional teeth. But what may surprise you is that healthy gumsare also essential to good overall health.
The dangers of Periodontal Disease.
Today, over 85 percent of the population has some form of periodontal (gum) disease. The problem is that periodontal diseaseis very elusive. Often, it is misdiagnosed or simply ignored. There may not be any obvious symptoms. Gumsmay recede, leaving teeth vulnerable to decay, abscesses and loss – without any bleeding, tenderness or other indications of a problem.
Worst of all, periodontal disease can affect whole body health. The pockets of bacteria hiding below the gum line can increase your risk of:
• heart attack
• stroke
• certain cancers, including
pancreatic cancer
• rhuematoid arthritis
• controlling blood sugar in diabetes
• premature birth and preeclampsia
• low birth weight babies
• and other health concerns
Oral bacteria that enter the bloodstream may cause the liver to produce more proteins such as C-reactive protein, one of the known factors in many diseases. But there is good news. Gum diseaseis easily treatable – even reversible. And best of all, with the advancements made in modern dentistry, periodontal therapyis more comfortable, thorough and effective than ever before.
