Gum Disease Treatment in Boston
- What is Gum Disease?
- Gum Disease and Overall Health
- Signs of Gum Disease
- Causes of Gum Disease
- Gum Disease treatments
- The Importance of Periodontal Care
- Healthy Smiles Start Here
- Ongoing Research on Periodontal Disease
Are You in Need of Excellent Dental Care?
Contact us with any questions or to schedule an appointment to reclaim your smile today!
What is Gum/Periodontal Disease?
Gum disease, clinically referred to as periodontal disease, is:
- a chronic, bacterial infection of the gums and bone that supports the teeth.
- a serious infection in the mouth that, when untreated, can lead to tooth loss.
- first diagnosed by a hygienist or dentist.
- the same arterial plaque build-up that causes, and is found in, heart disease.
- dangerous, as it is often painless and symptomless.
Gum Disease, Importance of Oral Health, and Relationship to Overall Health
Gum disease begins with gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums and can progress into the more harmful periodontitis, a severe gum infection that can destroy your jawbone. As periodontal disease progresses, it causes gum recession, increasing exposure of your teeth to bacteria, decay, and infection.
- Eighty percent (80%) of individuals will be afflicted with periodontal disease by age 45.
- 4 out of 5 individuals are unaware that they have periodontal disease.
- Regular hygiene visits (dental cleanings) and proper home care are extremely important and can help reduce your risk.
- About one-third of adults will have at least three to four teeth affected with moderate periodontal disease in their lifetime.
- Severe or rapidly progressing disease affects 5–15 percent of the adult population.
Signs of gum disease include:
- Bleeding gums after tooth brushing
- Swollen gums
- Gum recession
- Persistent bad breath (halitosis)
- Loose teeth
- Sensitivity to touch or cold
Causes of gum disease:
- Lack of proper home care with daily brushing and flossing
- Improper brushing: strong brushing, hard toothbrush bristles, or brushing too soon after a meal
- Tobacco/vaping/smokeless tobacco — yes, even smokeless!
- Genetic disposition or medical condition
- Hormonal changes
- Stress and teeth grinding
- Misaligned teeth or bite
- Pierced tongue or lip
- Diet
Gum Disease treatments
Periodontal treatment is necessary when various conditions begin to affect the health of your gums (such as recession) and the regions of your jawbone that hold your teeth in place.
Effective treatments include:
- Deep cleaning, clinically referred to as scaling and root planning (SRP)
- Antibiotics under the gumline
- Gum recession treatment – Dr. Spitz is the only prosthodontist in the country who is Advanced Certified for the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique™
- Laser dentistry to clean the area/s
- Surgical or non-surgical care
Why Periodontal Care and Maintenance is Important
As stated, healthy gums play an integral role in oral and overall health. At the same time, gum disease can ultimately lead to missing teeth and what has come to be called, the oral-systemic connection. A link has been found between gum disease and a variety of internal systemic diseases, including:
- Various forms of cancer
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Dementia
- Blood clots
Healthy Smiles Start Here
Although you may be anxious thinking you may have periodontal issues, as a prosthodontist, Dr. Spitz has extensive training and experience in how teeth affect your overall health and the importance of caring for and restoring periodontal health. He is one of the earliest adopters of laser dentistry, as well as the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique™ that doesn’t utilize traditional gum grafting or surgery (even though it is called ‘surgical’ technique) for treatment.
We invite you to read our patient reviews and view our patient testimonials.
Ongoing Research on Periodontal Disease
As we continue to learn more about the severity of periodontal infections and how closely they are linked to overall health, having detailed information about your individual genetic susceptibility to periodontal diseases is critical in determining your oral care. That’s why Smileboston Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry offers Oral DNA testing.
Oral DNA tests assess an individual’s genetic risk for periodontal disease and targets the exact bacteria that cause your disease. The test is completely painless and as simple as spitting into a cup or swabbing the cheek with a cotton swab. The sample is then prepared into a vial that is shipped to a laboratory where it is thoroughly analyzed. This test is NOT used for genetic testing.
We invite you to read our blog posts and to call us with any questions.
Are You in Need of Excellent Dental Care?
Contact us with any questions or to schedule an appointment to reclaim your smile today!