Dr. Markusen’s Blog

“You don’t have to brush all your teeth; just the ones you want to keep”

Three Out Of Four People Have Warning Signs of Periodontal Disease
 Gums that bleed when you brush
 Gums are red, swollen or tender
 Gums have pulled away (receded) from teeth
 Pus between teeth & gums when gums are pressed
 Permanent teeth are loose or separating
 Change in the way your teeth fit when biting
 Any changes in fit of partial dentures
 Persistent bad breath & bad taste
50 people out of 100 have moderate to severe gum disease, 40 out of the 50 don’t know it, and only 3 people out of 100 will ever get treated before it’s too late. Gum disease occurs when bacteria attack the supporting soft tissues and bone around your teeth. These bacteria cause a body reaction. This reaction is responsible for the breakdown of the fibers that connect the tooth to the bone. This creates a space that dentists and hygienists call ‘a periodontal pocket’. Plaque and tarter accumulate at the base of the teeth. Inflammation causes a pocket to develop between the gums and teeth, which fills with plaque and tarter. Soft tissue swelling traps the plaque in the pocket. Continued inflammation eventually causes destruction of the tissues and bone surrounding the tooth. These pockets are difficult to keep clean and the result is infection leading to the loss of bone. The main cause of gum disease is poor oral hygiene, not brushing and flossing on a regular basis, and not seeing your dentist for preventive care. If left untreated, the supporting bone is destroyed and the teeth may eventually become loose and painful.

How are Lasers used to treat gum disease? Will it hurt?
A laser is an instrument that produces a very narrow, intense beam of light energy. When laser light comes in contact with soft tissue it causes a reaction. The beam of light produced by the laser has the ability to remove, vaporize or shape soft tissues such as the gums, cheeks and tongue. There are a variety of lasers that can be used to treat periodontal disease. Lasers can be used to remove inflamed tissues within a periodontal pocket while also sterilizing the pocket. Lasers can be used to trim away diseased gum tissue, increase the length of a tooth above the gum life so that crowns can be properly placed and can even remove muscle pulls and benign tumors. Laser treatment may be more comfortable than treatment with conventional instruments. The gum tissue may be removed without bleeding and swelling because the powerful light beam seals blood vessels and nerve endings. The aspect of laser surgery that most people appreciate is its comfort. While no treatment is always painless, the laser may reduce the need for postoperative pain medication and my reduce swelling and bleeding. The benefits of periodontal laser treatment include a faster healing time, a reduced risk of infection, less time in a dental chair, and less post-procedure pain.

Factors that Contribute to Periodontal Disease & Tooth Loss
 Smoking
 Stress/Tension
 Diet/Poor Nutrition
 Pregnancy
 Diabetes/Systemic Diseases
 Some Prescription Medications

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 7:42 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.