| Gum disease during pregnancy |
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Many mothers have experienced gum disease, dental
pain and/or tooth extraction during or shortly after
their pregnancy. This is often seen as being a "normal"
side effect of being pregnant. However we feels
that dental disease, which is an infection of the
teeth and/or gums, is not "normal" for any patient.
There are three basic events that happen during
pregnancy which make the patient more susceptible
to dental disease. First, hormonal changes may make
the gums more susceptible to gum disease.
Second, pregnant women tend to eat smaller, more
frequent meals, exposing their teeth and gums to
sugars and acids more often. Third, cravings for
"junk foods" and inadequate oral hygiene pose an
increased threat to the teeth and gums.
Our Doctors and stuff will be given to fight disease
and promote overall good health for the mother and
her baby.
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| Gum disease infects almost 80 percent of adults |
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The American Dental Association says that over 75-80%
of all adults, even in the San Diego, Los Angeles
and Orange County area, have or will have some form
of gum disease.
Gum disease, or more correctly called "periodontal
disease", is a bacterial infection in the gums and
supporting structures of the teeth. It can be divided
into several categories.
The first stage is called "gingivitis" and is characterized
by gum tissue that is red, puffy, and bleeds easily
when touched with a toothbrush, floss or dental
instrument.The second, third, and fourth stages
are initial, moderate, and advanced "periodontal
disease", respectively. These stages are different
from gingivitis because the infection has destroyed
the bone supporting the teeth, causing eventual
tooth loss.
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| Infections in joint replacements can be instigated by severe gum disease |
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TRUST DENTAL CARE TIJUANA strongly recommends a
thorough dental examination for presence of tooth
and gum infection is recommended prior to joint
replacement.
Periodontal disease is a commonly occurring oral
infection of the adult population (80% of adults
are affected) destroying the bony support of the
teeth. This infection slowly progresses over the
lifetime of the patient and is often manifested
in the advanced stage in the senior population.
Because of the lack of any discomfort to the patient
until total loss of bony support to the teeth, many
adults are unaware that they have this infection
until they visit us. However, the bacteria from
this bone destroying disease, especially in the
more advanced cases, has been attributed to possible
infection of joint replacements.
Candidates for joint replacements who have not been
seen by our Doctors in over a year should consider
a thorough dental evaluation of their teeth and
gums before surgery.
Depending on the severity of the infection, treatment
of gum infections and tooth abscesses may take from
two weeks to two months before the patient reaches
adequate health before surgery.
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| Periodontal gum disease - silent and deadly |
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Periodontal disease can go on for years without
pain and without detection unless specific examination
procedures are performed.
Visual oral examination by itself (even by a dentist)
will not reliably detect periodontal disease until
it has reached an advanced stage.
Early detection and adequate diagnosis require measurement
of pockets (the crevice between the tooth and gum)
with a periodontal probe.
Early detection by Doctors and treatment is critical
to prevent tooth loss and disfigurement. Although
the procedure is simple, painless and requires only
a few minutes, millions of American adults have
never had it done.
Some signs of periodontal disease are: bleeding
gums, redness of gum tissue, swelling of gums around
the teeth, breath odor, receding gums, mobility
of teeth.
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| Some dental problems are easy to see - plaque! |
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One of the easiest problems to spot is a build-up of plaque. Plaque is the soft, sticky layer of bacteria, which is constantly forming on the teeth.
Usually it is invisible to the naked eye, but when a person is not brushing adequately, it can build up to where it appears to be a thick whitish coating on the teeth at the gum line. If not removed, it can lead to gum disease.
Another potential problem, which is easy to spot, is missing teeth. Many patients of our Office sees assume that if they are still able to eat, they are O.K.
But very often, losing just one tooth can lead to the loss of support, and teeth begin to drift into the empty space, causing a change in the bite. It also forces the remaining teeth to carry an additional load, sometimes past their ability to adapt. In most cases, when even one tooth is lost, the remaining teeth suffer and are more likely to be lost as well.
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| Gum and bone disease that goes undetected |
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We at feels that prevention is an overused word in our vocabulary but we all know it works. You see it in what you do every day. Who wouldn't rather prevent a crisis than manage one?
In the San Diego area awareness of gum and underlying
bone disease is very low. Only 50% of the population
visits a dentist on a regular basis. Of that 50%,
80% have some degree of gum and bone disease. It is
an epidemic. Were this any other disease, we would
be calling on the CDC for immediate action!
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| Oral disease - gingivitis |
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Gingivitis is the most common periodontal disease,
affecting 90% of the population, including our local
San Diego area community. It is an infection of the
gums caused by bacteria that form plaque.
In small amounts (when it is newly formed), plaque is invisible and relatively harmless. But when left to accumulate, it increases in volume and the proportion of harmful bacteria grows.
These bacteria release toxins that result in inflammation of the gum tissue. Eventually, the plaque hardens and forms hard deposits called calculus or tartar.
If not properly treated, gingivitis may progress to periodontitis, a periodontal disease in which there is loss of the bone that supports the teeth.
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