Periodontal Disease: Why it Matters to Your Health
Gum Health Classifications
Ignore your teeth and they’ll go away! You do not want Periodontal Disease, maintenance is prevention. There are many forms of gum disease and only one form of gum health. Gums are skin in the mouth. They can get inflamed, burnt, cut, sore, sensitive, scarred, and bleed. Once gums are diseased and enough bone and tissue destruction has happened —it’s permanent. The key is to maintain health and prevent structure loss. Gums and bone are the foundation for the teeth, if they go away so do the teeth.
Gum Health
- Pink (depending on skin color some people have darker gum pigmentation)
- Firm and tight around the tooth
- Non-bleeding gums
- Ideal environment
Gingivitis: In perspective to a health problem this is the prediabetes of the mouth
It’s the warning sign that, HEY something needs to be tuned up, it’s the gums yelling, “GIVE ME MORE ATTENTION.” It can be maintained and reversed to health
- Red
- Inflamed
- Bleeding
- Sensitive even painful
- Possible bad taste
- Usually no bone loss
- Reversible through a dental cleaning, flossing, brushing and good homecare
Periodontal disease
Periodontal disease can develop and flourish by bacterial accumulation, lifestyle, habits and systemic issues.
Early Periodontitis: this is the stage of having the start of diabetes, where the physician wants to put you on metformin, it’s a little more than what diet and exercise can maintain
- Red
- Swollen
- Bleeding
- Possible bad taste and breath
- Onset of bone loss
- More space between gums and teeth
- Permanent damage
- Quad scales, known as Deeper Cleanings, are usually recommended
- Good results happen at this stage
Moderate Periodontitis: this is the stage of diabetes when insulin is required, daily checking of the blood sugars, neuropathy
- Red
- Swollen
- Bleeding
- Moderate bone loss (20-50%)
- Gum recession, more tooth exposure
- Teeth may begin to show mobility
- Persistent bad breath and taste
- Possible Quad scales, known as Deeper Cleanings, are usually recommended
- Gum surgical treatment may be recommended
Advanced Periodontitis: this is the diabetes stage of kidney dialysis, amputations of toes and feet, major shift in quality of life, multiple medications and permanent damage on the organs
- Red
- Swollen
- Increased gum recession
- Moderate-severe bone loss (50% or more)
- Possible periodontal abscess
- Quad scales, known as Deeper Cleanings, are usually recommended
- Gum surgical treatment or extractions usually recommended
- Tooth loss
- Mobility
- Poor prognosis to treatment
- Soft diet is more comfortable
- Chewing can be challenging
- Partial dentures/ full dentures
Only you can choose what mouth you want!
