Diabetes and periodontal disease
If you are diabetic, you are at a greater risk of suffering from oral infections and diseases, including periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is an infection of the teeth, gums, and bone that surrounds your teeth. It is caused by the bacteria that lives in plaque, the sticky film of food and bacteria that forms constantly on your teeth. The bacteria infect the tooth roots and cause pockets of infection to form in the gums. The bacteria also produces toxins, and these toxins, combined with your body’s reaction to them, destroy the bone around your teeth.
The connection to diabetes
Diabetes contributes to periodontal disease in three ways: it lowers your body’s ability to fight off infection, results in high blood sugar levels, and causes dry mouth. Diabetes lowers the body’s resistance to infection by causing blood vessels to thicken and become less elastic. This decreases the flow of white blood cells, oxygen, and nutrients to the body’s tissues and slows the removal of harmful wastes. This can weaken your mouth’s resistance to infections like periodontal disease. Having poorly controlled diabetes means that there are often excess levels of glucose in the blood and saliva. The harmful bacteria in your mouth that are responsible for periodontal disease thrive on this sugar. Diabetics who do not successfully control their blood sugar levels also frequently experiences a decrease in the flow of saliva which can lead to a condition called dry mouth, or xerostomia. Saliva is vital for helping wash away the bacteria that cause periodontal disease. A lack of saliva allows plaque to build up easily on teeth.
Preventing periodontal disease
If you are a diabetic, it is important for you to prevent or control periodontal disease. Infections, such as periodontal disease, can cause blood sugar levels to rise, making it much harder for you to control your diabetes. To help prevent bacterial infections in your mouth, you should brush and floss every day to remove the plaque and visit us regularly for dental cleanings. We may prescribe antibiotics, medicated mouth rinses, and more frequent dental exams. With good dental and medical care, your gums and teeth can remain health and free of periodontal disease.
Showing posts with label Periodontal Disease. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Periodontal Disease. Show all posts
Friday, May 14, 2010
Cardiovascular Health
What is periodontal disease?
Researchers have discovered that if you have periodontal disease, you may have an increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and infective endocarditis. Periodontal disease is an infection of the teeth, gums and bone that live in plaque, the sticky film of food and bacteria that forms constantly on your teeth. The bacteria infect the tooth roots and cause pockets of infection to form in the gums. This results in red and swollen gums that bleed when you brush or floss.
The connection to cardiovascular health
Even with early periodontal disease, bleeding gums can create an open doorway that allows harmful bacteria to enter your bloodstream. More advanced periodontal disease can be even worse. It can be compared to a nine-square-inch open wound around your teeth, offering significant opportunity for harmful bacteria to enter your blood. Research indicates that the bacteria associated with periodontal disease may cause inflammation in the arteries. This inflammation could lead to the build-up of fatty deposits and the formation of blood clots that can block your arteries and even trigger a heart attack. These deposits may also build up in the carotid arteries in your neck. In serious cases, if these fat deposits break apart and are carried away in your bloodstream, they can lodge in your brain, block a blood vessel, and cause a stroke. Additionally, some studies have also shown that when plaque bacteria enter the bloodstream through infected gums, you may develop a heart condition called infective endocarditis. This is a potentially fatal bacterial infection that inflames the sac around the heart, the valves of the heart, and the heart muscle itself.
So, as you can see, it is vital to your overall health, as well as your oral health, to keep your gums healthy. If we determine that you have periodontal disease, we will see you for frequent professional cleanings and re-care appointments, and we will work with you to create a suitable oral hygiene.
Researchers have discovered that if you have periodontal disease, you may have an increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and infective endocarditis. Periodontal disease is an infection of the teeth, gums and bone that live in plaque, the sticky film of food and bacteria that forms constantly on your teeth. The bacteria infect the tooth roots and cause pockets of infection to form in the gums. This results in red and swollen gums that bleed when you brush or floss.
The connection to cardiovascular health
Even with early periodontal disease, bleeding gums can create an open doorway that allows harmful bacteria to enter your bloodstream. More advanced periodontal disease can be even worse. It can be compared to a nine-square-inch open wound around your teeth, offering significant opportunity for harmful bacteria to enter your blood. Research indicates that the bacteria associated with periodontal disease may cause inflammation in the arteries. This inflammation could lead to the build-up of fatty deposits and the formation of blood clots that can block your arteries and even trigger a heart attack. These deposits may also build up in the carotid arteries in your neck. In serious cases, if these fat deposits break apart and are carried away in your bloodstream, they can lodge in your brain, block a blood vessel, and cause a stroke. Additionally, some studies have also shown that when plaque bacteria enter the bloodstream through infected gums, you may develop a heart condition called infective endocarditis. This is a potentially fatal bacterial infection that inflames the sac around the heart, the valves of the heart, and the heart muscle itself.
So, as you can see, it is vital to your overall health, as well as your oral health, to keep your gums healthy. If we determine that you have periodontal disease, we will see you for frequent professional cleanings and re-care appointments, and we will work with you to create a suitable oral hygiene.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Arestin
How is Arestin used?
As part of our therapy for periodontal disease, we have an effective treatment called Arestin that helps us control the infection in your mouth. Arestin is used together with scaling and root planing to significantly reduce the depth of the infected pockets and prevent the progression of the disease. Arestin in an antibiotic in powder form. After scaling and root planing, we apply the powder to your periodontal pockets, where it combines with moisture in your mouth and adheres immediately to the infected gum tissue. The individual powder particles release a controlled, steady flow of the active ingredient, minocycline, a potent antibiotic. The medication helps fight your periodontal infection for at least 21 days.
Arestin and your periodontal therapy
In certain conditions, Arestin may not be the right treatment for you. The active ingredient in Arestin is in the tetracycline family, so we won’t use it for patients who are allergic to tetracycline, pregnant or nursing, or under the age of eight. You should also know that Arestin is not a cure for periodontal disease. Once bone is lost, no medication will bring it back. For periodontal therapy to be successful, you still need to be very thorough with your daily oral hygiene and come see us regularly for exams. Arestin is an important part of the overall periodontal therapy program that we have designed for you to restore health to your gums.
As part of our therapy for periodontal disease, we have an effective treatment called Arestin that helps us control the infection in your mouth. Arestin is used together with scaling and root planing to significantly reduce the depth of the infected pockets and prevent the progression of the disease. Arestin in an antibiotic in powder form. After scaling and root planing, we apply the powder to your periodontal pockets, where it combines with moisture in your mouth and adheres immediately to the infected gum tissue. The individual powder particles release a controlled, steady flow of the active ingredient, minocycline, a potent antibiotic. The medication helps fight your periodontal infection for at least 21 days.
Arestin and your periodontal therapy
In certain conditions, Arestin may not be the right treatment for you. The active ingredient in Arestin is in the tetracycline family, so we won’t use it for patients who are allergic to tetracycline, pregnant or nursing, or under the age of eight. You should also know that Arestin is not a cure for periodontal disease. Once bone is lost, no medication will bring it back. For periodontal therapy to be successful, you still need to be very thorough with your daily oral hygiene and come see us regularly for exams. Arestin is an important part of the overall periodontal therapy program that we have designed for you to restore health to your gums.
Friday, April 30, 2010
FYI Fridays: Alternatives to Periodontal Treatment
What are your choices for treating periodontal disease?
If you have periodontal disease, your choices are limited. You could:
We do not recommend delaying treatment because periodontal disease does not go away on its own. Periodontal disease is an ongoing, degenerative infection of the teeth, gums, and bone that surrounds the teeth caused by bacteria. The bacteria produce toxins, and these toxins, combined with the body’s reaction to them, destroy the bone around your teeth.
Bone lost never grows back on its own. If too much bone is lost, teeth become loose and have to be removed.
Choosing treatment
The sooner you choose treatment, the better chance we have of controlling the disease and saving your teeth.
Treatment involves a combination of scaling and root planing, new homecare techniques, and frequent dental cleanings and recare appointments. In more severe cases, treatment could also include medication and surgery.
Treatment removes the infection and keeps the disease under control.
If you have periodontal disease, your choices are limited. You could:
- Delay treatment
- Choose treatment
- Delaying treatment
We do not recommend delaying treatment because periodontal disease does not go away on its own. Periodontal disease is an ongoing, degenerative infection of the teeth, gums, and bone that surrounds the teeth caused by bacteria. The bacteria produce toxins, and these toxins, combined with the body’s reaction to them, destroy the bone around your teeth.
Bone lost never grows back on its own. If too much bone is lost, teeth become loose and have to be removed.
Choosing treatment
The sooner you choose treatment, the better chance we have of controlling the disease and saving your teeth.
Treatment involves a combination of scaling and root planing, new homecare techniques, and frequent dental cleanings and recare appointments. In more severe cases, treatment could also include medication and surgery.
Treatment removes the infection and keeps the disease under control.
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