Hello, Dr. Dayanayev here from Steinway Family Dental Center. We get a lot of questions about periodontal disease. Today, I'm going to answer some of the most common questions that we get from you about periodontal disease.
What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal is a coined word. It consists of two parts: "Perio" means around, and "dental" means tooth. So it's a disease around the tooth. I'm sure all of you have heard of gingivitis. That's one of them, and gingivitis is a reversible condition of soft tissue, basically the gum. The gum becomes inflamed because something is irritating it, most likely biofilm. Biofilm is essentially food mixed with bacteria sitting on the surface of the tooth and creeping into the gum, which leads to gingivitis. If you had lunch today and didn't brush your teeth until you got home, you have gingivitis. It is a reversible condition. As soon as you get home and brush your teeth, gingivitis is gone. However, there is a second disease called periodontitis. Again, "perio" means around, and "dontitis" refers to the tooth. It affects the area around the tooth but goes deeper into the gum, affecting the bone. The bone starts to deteriorate around the teeth, leading to periodontal disease. Unfortunately, it is completely painless because the nerve is deep inside the bone. Until you lose all the bone, you feel nothing. Therefore, it would be best to see a dentist to check if you have it because you don't want to lose your teeth.
What are the causes of periodontal disease?
There are a few causes. Number one, it could be hereditary, coming from your parents or grandparents. That's part of it. Another part involves teeth alignment. If the alignment is off, you can get more gum disease. However, the previous generation did not have well-aligned teeth. The new generation has better alignment, and periodontal diseases are less prevalent. It can be fixed. It also depends on how often you see your hygienist or dentist for cleanings. That's the person you want to see regularly. Lastly, if you don't take care of your teeth properly at home by brushing and flossing regularly, you can develop gum disease.
What are the symptoms of periodontal disease?
Most symptoms include bleeding when you brush your teeth. If you're spitting blood while brushing, you have active periodontal disease. You may also experience discomfort or redness in the gum. Sometimes the edges around the teeth appear purple instead of light pink, indicating chronic inflammation, a sign of gum disease. If you notice any of these, I recommend you see your dentist.
What are the conditions connected to periodontal disease?
There are a few. If we have inflamed gums, chronic inflammation affects several things. First, bacteria present in periodontal disease can enter the bloodstream and reach the heart, causing potential problems. If the bacteria cause trouble with your gums, they can trouble your heart. This is one direction it can take. New York Times research found that bacteria produce certain proteins that can cross the brain barrier, which has a filter. Not all medicines can penetrate the brain, but proteins from these bacteria can bind to brain receptors and potentially lead to the early onset of dementia and Alzheimer's. Chronic inflammation can also lead to cancer, as cells become different and inflammation can contribute to this. During the COVID pandemic, people with gum disease had a harder time recovering due to existing inflammation. The best approach is to prevent these correlations with gum disease.
Can periodontal disease be cured?
It's interesting because heart disease, diabetes, and dementia can be helped but not cured. However, periodontal disease, which can contribute to these conditions, can be treated and cured. The sooner you start treatment, the better chance you have to fix it completely.
What treatment options are available for fighting periodontal disease?
There are various treatments. Number one is getting your cleaning on time. You may need to align your teeth alongside a deep or regular cleaning. Perhaps you need more frequent cleanings to cure it. If the disease is in a later stage, surgery might be required. At the end stage, if you've lost a lot of bone and the teeth are loose, it may be time to consider replacing them with implants or other options.
Are teeth cleaning and painful?
The answer is not really. When done properly, cleaning should not be painful. If you do it often enough and take care of your teeth at home, there is no reason for it to be painful.
How can I schedule my dental appointment?
You can call us at (718) 728-3314 or go online to alldentalneeds.com to request an appointment. Someone will get back to you to schedule a visit with a doctor and hygienist for your periodontal treatment.
I hope this was helpful regarding periodontal disease. If you have any further questions not answered in this video, other videos are available on the topic. You can also come in for a consultation with me personally, and I will help you out. Give us a call at (718) 728-33144 and request an appointment.