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What Is Periodontal Disease?
This disease is identified by swollen gums, receding gums, bleeding gums, gum abscesses, teeth that are loose, and tooth enamel that begins to look elongated.
Teeth eventually become loosened to a point where they become very painful and are unable to be used to eat.
These teeth eventually fall out themselves, or must be removed by a dentist in order to help ease and subdue the pain that is being experienced by the affected person.
How does this disease get contracted? Periodontal disease is introduced to the mouth bacterially and is a localized, chronic, and inflammatory disease which damages bone and connective tissue that supports the teeth.
Periodontitis is the most common disease experienced by nearly 30% to 50% of adults and severely affecting 5% to 15% of all adults in the U.
S.
A.
There is a very big misconception out there that periodontal disease is what actually damages the oral tissues, but this is not true.
What actually damages the connective tissues is the body's immunity response to the disease.
Once the infection takes place, the body's immune system begins to fight the disease by destroying the tissues that are used to support and hold the teeth into place.
The inflammatory process of the body can be accelerated due to genetic factors as well as factors brought on by smoking, depression, obesity, diabetes, and tobacco use.
These factors appear to influence the severity of the effects of periodontal disease.
Many people wonder how periodontal disease begins, and the answer is poor oral hygiene.
What people don't realize is that this disease can easily be prevented by regular brushing of the teeth and the use of dental floss.
While the disease is easy to prevent, it is extremely difficult to stop once the disease starts.
One of the very first signs of this disease is bleeding gums, while the last sign of the disease is having no teeth.
The best way to prevent this type of disease from happening is by practicing good oral hygiene.
Brushing the teeth is not enough as cleaning in-between the teeth is crucial in order to prevent this disease from occurring.
If flossing seems like a chore, there are other products out there that can make cleaning between the teeth easier.
Look for thin toothpicks or products called Stimudents which essentially perform the same function as dental floss.
With proper oral hygiene practices, periodontal disease can be prevented from happening.
Resource Area: DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular doctor(s) that is or is not affiliated with Top 3 Dentists Inc.
Copyright 2008 TOP 3 DENTISTS INC.
All rights reserved.
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