Archive for August, 2008

The other day I had two new patients I want to mention here…

The first patient had some advanced gum disease, or periodontal disease. We talked about plaque, which is the soft, tooth-colored sticky stuff that stays on our teeth after we eat. We also talked about how plaque, if left undisturbed for even 24 hours, will turn hard, like concrete, on teeth. We then call it tartar, or calculus. Good healthy tooth enamel is smooth like glass – tartar is rough like a concrete sidewalk. There are many microscopic holes for bacteria and further plaque to hang out in, making it harder yet to clean the next meal’s plaque away, and so it will grow day by day! The gums do not like the rough tartar and the bacteria that are hanging out there, and they can show their displeasure by becoming inflamed, red and puffy, and bleeding easily. The point where the gums attach to the tooth may move towards the root tip to get away from the tartar, creating what are called periodontal pockets. When these pockets grow deeper than 3mm, the bone that supports the tooth begins to melt away, and the tooth is less strongly supported. If this gum disease process continues, the bone continues to melt away, and the tooth becomes loose. Often this does not hurt, so it can painlessly continue until the tooth is lost! After we discussed this progressive gum disease and the potential for loosing otherwise beautiful teeth, he said “I wish I had known this ten years ago!” I said I wished that too!

The second patient I want to mention was a nice lady who has diabetes. Diabetics should know that healing is very much slowed down in their bodies. This includes the mouth and gums. Gum disease gets started much easier in people with diabetes. I was impressed with this lady, because she had done lots of reading about her condition, and talking with her physician about how to take care of herself. She was therefore well informed about the potential for gum disease, and was taking positive steps to prevent it – including seeing me!

To sum up, it is important to understand how gum disease progresses, to prevent it! Ask your dentist how you are doing, gum-wise. Make sure as they are doing the gum measurements, if there are any “fours” or worse, that you ask about them, and be sure a plan is in place to get those areas healthy again. As always, if you have questions, “JUST ASK!”