subject: Health is Also Affected in Gum Disease [print this page] Health is Also Affected in Gum Disease Health is Also Affected in Gum Disease
Bleeding gums are never normal. They are signs that something's wrong with your gums. But without knowledge of good oral hygiene or because of not having dental insurance, many Americans ignore this problem. Gum disease affects about 80 percent of Americans according to the U.S Food and Drug Administration. Patients of Parkway dental care have some stage of gum disease at a rate of 98 percent.
The two main stages of gum disease are gingivitis and periodontitis. The critical difference of the two is that gingivitis can be healed with good oral hygiene while periodontitis can only be managed but will eventually lead to tooth loss. Once periodontitis consumes the gums, it is there forever.
Indications of gingivitis include bad breath and red, swollen, bleeding gums. Teeth are still firmly rooted in the gums and they completely surround the teeth with gingivitis. Often times, gingivitis precedes periodontitis though it does not always lead to it. The tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth is called periodontitis which is a chronic bacterial infection. The major cause of the syndrome is bacterial plaque.
Plaque is a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. Without good oral hygiene, it eventually turns into tartar. Professional cleaning is the only method to remove tartar. This condition is not deadly by any means, but it gets worse if it is unchecked.
In the gums, the root of the tooth is held by the bone. The supporting structures of the teeth which are the gums and the bone are being eaten by the disease as it progresses. At this point of gum disease, inner layer of gums and bone separate from the teeth which causes the formation of pockets where anaerobic bacteria will thrive in. Gum disease also provides a higher risk of stroke and heart attack and will not only result to permanent tooth loss if left untreated.
Recently, other medical conditions have been connected to heart problems and stroke due to gum disease. In the last 10 years, gum disease has been associated to heart disease, severe osteopenia, respiratory infections, uncontrolled diabetes and preterm or low birthweight babies. There is no difference with the bacteria that infects the mouth and the heart, according to what they have found. Found in the journal Dimensions of Dental Hygiene is an article entitled Periodontal Medicine which claims that negative bacterial substances and live bacteria from the mouth have easy access to connective tissues and blood vessels. At distant sites, these tissues and organs can be affected by this systemic challenge, based on this article.
The female authors of the article added that the affected pockets around the teeth serve as a reservoir for molecules that enhance inflammatory response that can enter the systemic circulation and induce or perpetuate systemic effects. The two pathways may be responsible for systemic effects of gum disease on heart health, diabetes, developing fetus and the respiratory health of elderly patients, as what they added.
