Do you know if your gums are healthy? At Mendelson Family Dentistry in Owings Mills, MD, your dentists, Dr. Harold Mendelson and Dr. Herbert Mendelson, prioritize periodontal health, examining their patients for signs of this destructive condition. They offer many ways to improve this important soft tissues.
What is periodontal disease?
It's a harmful oral health problem which impacts both hard and soft tissue--that is, your gums, teeth, and underlying bone. Also, it affects overall health, being linked to issues such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension stroke, dementia, arthritis, and more. Interestingly, the American Heart Association says that gum disease even reduces the therapeutic effect of the medications people take to control their high blood pressure.
In short, periodontal disease is an infection caused by infiltration of oral bacteria. Poor hygiene habits, accumulation of plaque and tartar, genetic factors, tobacco use, and a sugar-laden diet contribute to the problem. As a matter of fact, almost half of Americans over the age of 30 have some form of gum disease, from moderate gingivitis to advanced periodontitis, reports the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The signs of periodontal disease
Your Owings Mills, MD, dentist and hygienist look for signs of gum disease in all their patients--from children to senior adults. Detected early, gingivitis can be cured with diligent at-home brushing and flossing and routine check-ups and cleanings at Mendelson Family Dentistry. More advanced forms of the condition may require procedures such as gum grafting, tooth scaling and root planing, antibiotic therapy, or laser gum surgery to debride and disinfect.
Signs of periodontal disease are evident on visual inspection and by measurement of gum pockets, the spaces between the teeth and gums. Your hygienist uses a small metal probe to discover the depth of these pockets. Anything deeper than three millimeters is diagnostic for gum disease.
Other signs include:
- A long tooth appearance, or gum recession
- Bad breath
- Pus
- Redness
- Tenderness
- Swelling
- Mobile teeth
- Changes in dental bite and alignment, such as formation of gaps
- Bleeding when brushing or flossing
- Pain when chewing
- Bone recession in the jaw
How are your gums faring?
Please contact our friendly team at Mendelson Family Dentistry in Owings Mills, MD, to schedule your preventive dentistry services. Dr. Harold Mendelson and Dr. Herbert Mendelson like to see their patients every six months to check for decay, oral cancer, and of course, periodontal disease. Call us at (410) 356-4100.