Instead of having one dental professional for optimal oral health, general dentists regularly team with periodontists. General dentists often refer patients to periodontists to treat more problematic periodontal cases, such as severe gum disease or intricate periodontal procedures, such as tissue grafts. Together, they are able to help patients achieve good oral health and maintain this on an ongoing basis. This team approach with your general dentist helps to create a treatment plan that best conforms to your individual needs and goals.

All periodontists must complete an additional two to three years of specialized training in periodontics following four years of undergraduate school and four years of dental school. Periodontists offer a wide range of treatments, such as scaling and root planing (which is the repair of an infected tooth root) or root surface debridement (removal of damaged tissue). While familiar with the latest techniques for diagnosing and treating periodontal disease, they are also trained in performing cosmetic procedures involving gum tissue.

Periodontists typically spend the majority of their time diagnosing and treating periodontal (gum) disease. However, they perform a wide range of procedures that involve soft tissues of the mouth. For example, they are skilled in cosmetic procedures to help create a beautiful smile, such as crown lengthening and repair of a ‘gummy smile.’ Since periodontists are dental pros when it comes to working with gum tissues, they can place dental implants skillfully without compromising gum tissues surrounding surgical site(s). They also correct gum recession by covering exposed root surfaces to prevent sensitivity to hot and cold as well as for esthetic reasons.

Periodontists are also experts in the treatment of oral inflammation. Because periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease are chronic inflammatory diseases, researchers believe that gum disease can increase inflammation in the body. This can lead to an increased risk for developing more severe health complications, including cardiovascular disease as well as diabetes and other problems. Periodontal disease has been linked to preterm babies, memory loss and stroke as well.

The average sugar consumption of Americans is 22 teaspoons a day. While anything you eat triggers an acid attack in the mouth, the acid produced from sugar is the most harmful. Unfortunately, sugar is hidden in a wide range of our foods – from canned tomatoes, salad dressings, and crackers. The average can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar.

While too much of anything is not wise, too much sugar is particularly detrimental to our bodies, beginning in the mouth! Over the years, to satisfy our sweet tooth without the harm, people began turning to artificial sweeteners. However, these have gotten a bad rap, beginning with the ‘saccharin scare’ from radical research. Actually, artificial sweeteners have been studied far more than most drugs (around 100 studies have been conducted on Splenda, or sucralose). These have never resulted in findings that are reason enough to omit them as sugar substitutes.

What we ARE finding is the overabundance of sugar in our foods. Added sugar is often listed in foods as high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, brown sugar, cane crystals, corn sweetener, corn syrup, malt syrup, molasses, honey, agave nectar, evaporated cane juice, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, glucose, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, dextrose, or sucrose. Whew!

With the move these days towards ‘organic’ foods, many people are turning back to sugar as a ‘safer, more natural’ additive. In many instances, I applaud this. It’s much healthier to give your family plain oatmeal and allow them to sprinkle sugar on it rather than purchase pre-sweetened oatmeal. Just remember that sugar, in any form, is not kind to your teeth.

We advise artificial sweeteners over sugar whenever it’s practical. Yet, sugar is a part of our lives and we can’t help but treat ourselves to the real thing here and there. Just remember – it’s important to brush after consuming any sugary foods after eating. Or, at the very least, swish with water or chew sugar-free gum. This will help to clean your mouth and halt the acid attack. This will also help you (and your family) to avoid treatment time and expense down the road. The ‘sweetest’ way to smile is always with a healthy mouth!

A survey commissioned by the Academy of General Dentistry found 63% of those age 45 to 65 with an oral symptom were unaware some are warning signs of adult onset diseases. For instance, the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and health disease increases with age. Researchers believe that these diseases often manifest themselves in the mouth.

According to the American Diabetes Association, the majority of diabetics suffer from Type 2 diabetes, which usually begins after age 45. Initial indicators of this disease are bad breath and bleeding gums. However, only 29% of the baby boomers surveyed were aware of this connection.

After the age of 45, the risk for developing heart disease triples. Although heart disease is the leading killer of Americans, a sore and painful jaw is often overlooked as a warning signal. As a matter of fact, 60% of those surveyed were unaware these symptoms could be signs of a potential heart attack.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that 44 million American adults have risk for osteoporosis, with a greater risk for menopausal and post-menopausal women. Yet, 97% of women do not discuss this with their dentist.

While the health and appearance of your smile is our emphasis, your overall well-being is also important. Please share any unusual symptoms you are experiencing or any change in your medical status.

Some patients are shocked to learn they’ve developed periodontal (gum) disease. However, the regularity of dental visits, condition of physical health, oral hygiene at home, and other factors can leave one individual more susceptible than other.

For example, if you only have once-a-year hygiene visits, rather than every six months, your dentist may surprise you with a diagnosis of periodontal disease. Keep in mind that it only takes 36 hours for oral bacteria to begin plaque formation.

Many factors can play a part in the rate of how one develops gum disease. Additionally, occasional mild changes in the condition of gum tissues are not always aggressively responded to depending on the individual and the judgement call by the examining dentist. Some females, for example, can have tender and red gums during their menstrual cycle. The ‘normal’ gum condition of patients who smoke can vary from one to another.

Periodontal disease doesn’t just affect your oral health. Research has shown that the inflammation of gum disease can have adverse reactions elsewhere in the body. It has been linked to coronary artery disease, diabetes, and other serious health problems. Like many diseases that form in our bodies, periodontal disease begins silently and without obvious warning signs in earliest stages.

If your family physician gave you a clean bill of health at an annual check-up one year, but told you a tumor had developed the next, you would likely understand it had developed between the two visits. The same can happen with periodontal disease.

This is why those six-month check-ups are so important. They catch problems at early stages so they don’t become bigger ones. Too, your home care between visits plays a major role in the condition of your oral health at each visit.

Should you learn that you have developed gum disease, the most important thing is for you to be treated promptly to restore good oral health. Gum disease will only worsen without treatment.