Gum Health

The Main Reason for Missing Teeth

Many people assume that tooth loss is due to decay. It's not. It's because of gum disease. And it can be completely unnoticeable right up until you lose your teeth. Symptoms include bleeding gums when you brush or floss and loose or shifting teeth. If youve been told you need gum surgery, you will be glad to know that it's possible to control gum disease with a variety of non-surgical methods.

Gum Disease Is More Serious Than You Think

Dentists are now considering gum disease to be far more harmful to your health than just losing your teeth. Recent medical research has identified the bacteria in gum infections to have a serious effect on heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Making matters worse, the American Dental Association has estimated that 80% of our population has some level of periodontal (gum) disease! This high percentage concerns dentists as being a national epidemic.

The American Academy of Periodontology reports, "studies found periodontal infection may contribute to the development of heart disease, increase the risk of premature, underweight births, and pose a serious threat to people whose health is already compromised due to diabetes and respiratory diseases." The infection in the gums travels in the bloodstream, affecting major organs and increasing the risk of worsening serious health problems.

An Easier Way to Treat Gum Disease

There are nonsurgical ways to reverse a gum infection when treated in the earlier stages. If you wait until the infection is severe, surgery is likely the only option. Improved daily dental hygiene will help to relieve the condition and prevent it from returning. Both surgical and nonsurgical means are usually covered by most dental insurance plans.

What's so Bad About Losing a Tooth?

Gum disease is the most common reason for losing a tooth. Most people think that losing a tooth is no big deal. But just one missing tooth can cause other teeth to loosen or move. Any number of missing teeth will affect your chewing. You will not get as much nutrition from your food. Also, you may find healthier food in the natural state more difficult to chew, so you may begin to eat softer foods with a higher calorie content. This often results in unwanted weight gain.

Your face may start to take on a sunken look without the support of all your teeth and the resulting bone loss. Sometimes words may be slurred or not pronounced as they should be, which results in embarrassment.

We recommend replacing as many teeth as you have missing with dental implants. They come up through the gums and look so natural, even a dentist would have a difficult time telling they are not your own teeth.

An Easy Way to Defeat Gum Disease

Dr. Davidson is pleased to present a very effective and painless antibiotic that can reverse the state of gum disease. ARESTIN™ is in powder form and applied directly to the pockets of infection between gums and teeth. The invisible microspheres contained in the powder are time released to continually attack the bacteria. This treatment has been proven to reverse the condition, and best of all, you will not experience any pain during the healing process.

We can help arrest your gum disease and bring your smile back to health. Give us a call today at (406) 293-7778.