Periodontal Disease

Periodontal Disease or more commonly known as Gum Disease is a chronic inflammation and infection of the gums and surrounding tissue. It is the major cause of about 70% of adult tooth loss, affecting three out of four people at some point in their lives. The warning signs are red, swollen or tender gums, bleeding while brushing or flossing, gums that pull away from teeth, loose or separating teeth, pus between the gum and tooth, persistent bad breath, change in the way teeth fit together when you bite, and a change in the fit of partial dentures. While patients are advised to check for the warning signs, there might not be any discomfort until the disease has spread to a point at which the tooth is unsalvageable. That’s why we recommend you visit our office on a regular cycle. Remember, we are talking about a Disease State and it must be taken care of right away for not only your teeth and gums but for your total health care.

Do you ever wonder what the words really mean when the Dentist or Hygienist is talking to you? Plaque, Tartar, Calculus....You might have been told by the Dentist that you have calculus or tartar deposits and need to get them removed. Often people misuse the words either mistaking one for the other or lacking any understanding on them. So let me show some light on some of the terms that may be confusing you.

Plaque

This is a thin film of clear sticky bacteria that forms on your teeth, gums and tongue. Plaque contains various types of bacteria and is a sticky layer. Hence, mechanical cleaning by toothbrush is essential to remove plaque. Plaque begins forming 12 hours after brushing and thus brushing twice a day is very important to control it.

Tartar

This is harmful as it contains infective bacteria which can cause tooth decay and gingivitis (mild gum disease). It forms hard yellow deposits above or below the gums, on the inner or outer surfaces of the teeth and can only be removed by your Dentist or Hygienist.

Removing Tartar

People who have susceptibility to Tartar formations should use a Tartar control toothpaste or mouthwash. Previously, hand scalers were used by dentist to remove deposits which was very tedious, time consuming and tiring procedure both for the patient and the dentist. The process has been made much simpler now by the advent of automatic machines and you can simply get your calculus deposits removed by asking the dentist to scale and clean your teeth.

Bleeding Gums

Bleeding gums can be extremely discomforting physically and mentally. It is important that a person understands that gums that bleed signify a problem and that needs to be addressed to heal your gums and stop the bleeding. Let’s take a look at the 8 causes of gum bleeding.

1. Gum disease: This is the most common cause of bleeding gums. The initial stage of gum disease is known as Gingivitis in which gums become swollen and tender. These bleed upon touch especially during actions like brushing or eating. Gum disease also known as Periodontal disease occurs due to accumulation of plaque which irritates the gums. If gum disease is not treated initially, it progresses to Periodontitis and finally tooth loss.
2. Vigorous brushing: Brushing with toothpaste is abrasive in nature. Overzealous brushing does more harm than good to your teeth. In rare cases, overzealous brushing can also cause the gums to bleed but getting healthy gums to bleed by vigorous brushing is rare.
3. Smoking or chewing tobacco: Smokers tend to have more calculus (Tartar) on their teeth than non-smokers which cause gum disease. The other reason being the irritating effect of tobacco on the gums.
4. Hormones: Hormone receptors are embedded in gum tissue. If certain hormone levels rise above their normal level, they can cause increase of fluid level in the gum tissue causing them to become red, tender and swollen. These become normal as soon as the hormone levels become normal.
5. Vitamin K deficiency: Vitamin K is an important factor in the process of blood clotting and its deficiency can cause gums to bleed.
6. Autoimmune disorders: These are disorders in which the body’s own immune system damages its own cells. Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Rheumatoid Arthiritis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus are a few autoimmune disorders that can cause bleeding gums.
7. Leukemia: Leukemia is the cancer of bone marrow and white blood cells and one of its characteristic features is bleeding gums.
8. Drugs: Some drugs such as birth control pills, nasal sprays, antidepressants and anticoagulants may have the tendency to cause bleeding gums.

It is often found that patients with bleeding gums suffer from some degree of gum disease. So, if you experience bleeding gums, visit our office and we will determine the proper course of action.