Gum Health

Dentist checking old person teeth

Gum Disease Can Mean Losing Your Teeth

It is important to know that the number one cause of tooth loss is gum disease. Sometimes there are no warning signs until the problem is chronic and advanced. The common symptoms are bleeding gums while brushing and flossing and loose teeth. If treatment begins in the earlier stages, Dr. Nanavati can provide nonsurgical options. Another advancement in gum care that he uses is SOPROCARE, a specialized tool that illuminates gum tissue for more complete periodontal cleanings.

Serious Health Problems Connected to Gum Disease

Medical research has revealed a connection between gum disease and life-threatening health conditions such as diabetes, stroke, and even heart disease. What is even more astounding is the statistic provided by the American Dental Association that 8 out of 10 Americans have gum disease! With these two facts, dentists now consider this problem to be a serious national epidemic.

The bacteria in the gums travel throughout the bloodstream, reaching vital organs and potentially affecting their condition. The American Academy of Periodontology reports that "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."

Easier Treatments for Infected Gums

We emphasize the importance of coming into our office at the first signs of gum infections. If you wait too long, surgery may be your only option to save your teeth. At less severe stages, gum disease can be controlled with very successful nonsurgical methods. With improved daily dental hygiene, the problem can be reversed and the gums return to a healthy state. Both types of treatments are usually taken care of by most dental insurance plans.

What Can Result from Missing Teeth

It is well known that the most frequent reason for missing teeth is gum disease rather than decay. You might think that it is no big deal to have a few teeth missing, but there are other problems that will result with gaps in your dental arches. Your chewing will not be complete without all your teeth, which means you will obtain fewer nutrients from your meals. Sometimes chewing becomes difficult with certain or too many missing teeth. Softer foods will be consumed, and often that means putting on unwanted pounds.

Your teeth provide structure for your face, and without all your teeth, eventually your face takes on a sunken appearance, and you will begin to look older than your years. Certain words may be slurred and cause embarrassing moments in conversation.

We recommend replacing with dental implants as many teeth as you have missing. They will give you full chewing functionality and a beautiful, natural-looking smile. No one will be able to tell they are not your real teeth.

An Effective, Easy Way to Eliminate Gum Disease

According to the American Dental Association, 90% of American adults ages 33 to 45 have gum disease at some stage. The range of treatments are scaling and deep cleaning to surgery. There is a new treatment that has produced astounding results! This FDA-approved treatment is Perio Protect, and it can keep you from having gum surgery. Not only does it produce great results, it does so without any pain. It is as easy as wearing whitening trays. Dr. Nanavati is proud to offer his patients this latest technique in gum disease care.

The aspect that makes Perio Protect more effective than other treatments is that the medication stays where it should for a much more prolonged period of time. The continuous stream of saliva can wash the medicine away without the use of trays. The problem with keeping the medication in place has been solved with the use of dental trays. This allows healing to occur much quicker. Patients often see results in a few days. This may be the best alternative that will eliminate any need for gum surgery. Come in, and let us see if you are a suitable candidate for Perio Protect!

Alternatives to Gum Surgery

Today lasers are very effective in treating a variety of health conditions. What might have been pronounced as miraculous only a few years ago, has become widely recognized as a technology that produces safe and positive results. We use an FDA-approved laser that is safe, minimally invasive, and very easy for patients during and after treatments. We have treated many cases of gum disease with positive results and eliminated the need for gum surgery. An additional plus is that use of this laser on your gums also helps to regenerate bone loss in the dental arches.