Centre for Distinctive Dentistry Blog - Dr. Ned Nippoldt

Do your gums bleed when you brush or floss your teeth? If they do, you’re not alone. Depending on what study you look at, 50%-80% of U.S. adults currently have some form of gum or periodontal, disease.

In the mildest form of gum disease - gingivitis - the gums are often red and swollen. They can also bleed easily, and there is usually very little or no discomfort.

If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontitis. Periodontitis is a severe chronic bacterial infection that damages the tissues and bone that support the teeth.

Just how do we get gingivitis? Our mouth is full of bacteria – over 500 different species live in there. The bacteria like to lay on the surface of the teeth. They form a sticky, often colorless film on our teeth called plaque. Plaque is the substance on our teeth that makes them feel fuzzy to our tongue. We brush it off, and eight hours later it’s back. Some of the bacteria in the plaque like to hide below the gumline. It’s dark, damp, and dangerous down there, and it’s difficult for us to disturb them. (Just kidding about the dangerous part. It just seemed to flow off the computer.) Happy bacteria make for unhappy gums. If we give them 24 hours without disturbing them, the bacteria start to produce toxins that irritate the gum tissue. The gums react to these toxins and can become red, inflamed, sore, and bleed easily - gingivitis. If left undisturbed, these toxins stimulate a chronic inflammatory response. It’s as if the body says, “I tried to get rid of the bacteria; I tried to get rid of the infection, but I couldn’t. So I’ll take care if it. I’ll get rid of the host!” (The host is the tooth.) As the body starts to break down the ligaments that hold the tooth to the gums and bone, the bone starts to resorb or dissolve. If enough bone is lost, the tooth will become loose.

With proper treatment, gingivitis is usually reversible. Treatment includes a complete dental prophylaxis by your dentist or hygienist, which involves removal of plaque and calculus from the teeth above and below the gumline, as well as thorough daily at-home care by the patient that includes brushing and flossing.

Periodontitis requires more treatment. As well as removing the plaque and calculus from the tooth surface, the bacteria need to be removed from the pockets that have developed around the teeth. Scaling and root planing are the two procedures used to clean the root surfaces of the teeth. In our office we also use a laser to sterilize the pockets once we have scaled and root planed. This gives patients a clean place to start and gives them a much better chance of improving their periodontal health with improved home care. If the disease has become so severe that the tissues don't respond to scaling and root planing, surgery by a specialist may be necessary to treat the disease and reduce the depth of the pockets.

Gum disease is a big deal. The most common complication of untreated periodontal disease is tooth loss. The bacteria that cause periodontal disease may also enter the bloodstream through the unhealthy gum tissue, causing more serious systemic conditions, such as coronary artery disease, stroke, diabetes, preterm and low birth weight babies, and respiratory disease.

To help prevent gum disease, brush your teeth twice a day, floss daily, eat a balanced diet and visit your dentist at the intervals he or she recommends for check-ups, and a cleanings.

Do you have gum disease? If you live in the Woodbury, St. Paul, Minneapolis, MN, or Hudson, WI, area we’d love to see you to evaluate the health of your gum tissue and advise you of any periodontal concerns. Give our office a call at 651.739.8573 today.

Your thought for the day from this dental hygienist – “brush, brush, brush, & floss, floss, floss to keep periodontal disease away”.

See you soon,
Kathy Barnes RDH

Labels: gingivitis, gum disease, lasers, Periodontal Disease