If your gums are tender, red, or
swollen, you might be dealing with gingivitis - an early stage of gum
disease. Gum disease is an inflammatory condition where the gum line
is infected by plaque and bacteria. If gingivitis isn't treated, it
can develop into a moderate or severe gum disease called
periodontitis. Periodontitis can cause tooth loss and bone loss if it
isn't treated.
While some people think that gum
disease is an isolated dental problem, it's linked to a number of
secondary health conditions. Read on to learn more about how gum
disease affects your holistic health and how to stop it from
progressing.
Believe it or not, gum disease has been
linked to serious conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and
Alzheimer's disease.
Diabetes
While researchers have found that diabetes
might lead to an increased risk of gum disease, one study found that
the reverse also might be true. If you have gum disease, you may be
more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
Heart Disease
When a person has gum disease, bacteria
grows below the gumline and can easily travel throughout the body
through vascular pathways in the mouth. This bacteria can build up
and lead to the narrowing of important arteries, thus increasing your
risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Alzheimer's Disease
One of the main pathogens that are
responsible for gum disease is Porphyromonas gingivalis
(P.
gingivlis). In some studies,
this bacteria was also detected in the spinal fluid of Alzheimer's
patients. Another study found that P. gingivlis
boosted the
production of beta-amyloids in the brain. Betaamyloid proteins clump
together and form the plaques on brain tissue in people with
Alzheimer's disease.
While no clear answer exists about the
casual relationship between gum disease and secondary illnesses, a
lot of research suggests that if you develop a systemic disease, then
your body has a harder time fighting off infection and inflammation.
And since gum disease causes chronic inflammation, it could further
exacerbate the immune system and perpetuate the cycle of risk for
secondary conditions.
If you get gum disease and inflammation
under control, you may be able to reduce your risk of secondary
diseases. Thankfully, you can fight your gum disease in numerous
ways.
You'll want to make an appointment with
your dentist to get a proper diagnosis. They will measure the gum
pockets around your teeth to see whether you have gingivitis or a
more serious gum disease, then they'll help you treat whichever gum
disease you have.
Mild Gum Disease
If you have a mild case of gum disease,
then your dentist may be able to reduce the problem with a
professional cleaning. Because the bone and connective tissue haven't
been affected at this stage, you can reverse the damage by improving
your brushing and flossing regimen.
Moderate Gum Disease
If you have periodontitis, your dentist
may recommend scaling and root planing. This therapy is like a tooth
cleaning, but the hygienist will also clean below your gumline to
remove bacteria. The dentist will use a local anesthetic so that this
cleaning isn't uncomfortable. Once your hygienist cleans below the
gum line, your gum pockets will shrink, and the gum tissue will reach
more firmly around your teeth.
Severe Gum Disease
For severe gum disease, scaling and
root planing might work. However, this gum disease also affects your
tooth roots and bone tissue, so your dentist may need to perform
surgery and extract teeth and unhealthy bone tissue. Your dentist may
also place a bone graft to help regenerate supporting tissue so that
you can wear a prosthetic, like a partial denture.
Whatever stage your gum disease is at,
you can correct the problem. By addressing this oral health issue,
you'll be able to reap the benefits and reduce the risk of developing
a systemic disease. Reach out to Teresita
V. Hernandez, DDS
today for more information.
