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Gum Therapy Essential to Healthy Gums
Periodontics (gum therapy) treats mouth odors, bleeding gums and a bad taste in the mouth.
Many patients are mistaken in their belief that cleanings are trivial and they need treatment only if they have 'major' problems. The skills of individual hygienists vary as greatly as those of dentists. The literature in periodontics shows that the best gum therapy will only remove 50 percent of the bacteria present. If bacteria is left behind after a poorly performed cleaning, then the ravages of tooth decay and gum disease may progress unnoticed by the naked eye. Patients may only begin to notice years after the damage has occurred.
Only 10 percent of dental patients who have more advanced gum disease need gum surgery. This is due to a combination of early gum disease diagnosis, early preventive therapy and bacterial cultures with species-specific antibiotic regimens.
There has been a lot of press regarding the relationship between periodontal and cardiovascular disease. There is a lot of truth to this. It is logical that the presence of chronic infection anywhere in your body is unhealthy; why leave it in your mouth? Again, refer to the NIH website to review 'periodontal and cardiovascular disease' for an unbiased, scientific opinion. Most patients who demonstrate significant periodontal infection are referred for an echocardiogram.
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