Periodontal or gum disease has been called the Silent Disease because initially there are no symptoms.  If your gums are red, sometimes bleed when you brush, feel tender, or look swollen…these are symptoms of periodontal disease.  If your mouth tastes unpleasant…that’s another symptom.  If your gums have receded…you may have had gum disease for some time.  Receding gums, and bone and tooth loss, are unattractive alternatives to healthy gums.  But there’s more at stake!  Gum disease has been linked to cardiovascular and other systemic diseases.

• Studies have found oral bacteria from gum infections in arterial plaque, and have also shown that therapy for periodontal disease lessens inflammation throughout the body.
• Poor oral health has been identified as a stronger predictor of heart disease than other risk factors such as low levels of good cholesterol, high levels of a clotting agent, and high levels of certain fats in the bloodstream.
• Long-term and short-term studies continue to clarify the links between oral bacteria, inflammation and systemic diseases.

The Surgeon General in his Report on Oral Health in America said that the mouth is the gateway to the body, that you cannot be healthy without oral health, and that oral and general health are inseparable.  Together, we can prevent and sometimes reverse gum disease.  Brush, floss, and keep regular preventive, diagnostic, and maintenance dental appointments.

Filed under: Dentistry News

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