Taking good care of your mouth does more than help ensure a bright, white smile. Having a healthy mouth and a healthy body go hand in hand. We welcome patients to discover the connections between problems like gum disease and their physical health. Dr. Ancy Verdier, Dr. Jennifer Chang Sullivan, and Dr. Mariam Khan offer periodontal treatment in Concord and Lexington, MA.
We aim to help you improve your gum health. Your gums support your teeth. If an infection affects your gums, it can spread throughout the body. Gum inflammation increases the risk of inflammation in other body parts, including the heart. Keeping your gums healthy can prevent these problems.
Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body
Did you know that medical problems can impact your risk of gum disease? Recent studies have linked good oral hygiene with good overall health. Various health issues connected to gum problems include:
Pancreatic Cancer and Heart Disease
A healthy mouth can reduce your risk for many serious diseases, including heart disease and pancreatic cancer. The inflammation caused by gingivitis and gum disease is linked to these diseases. Bacteria that thrive in the mouth can travel to other parts of the body. These bacteria can cause infection or worsen existing infections in many areas, including the lungs and joints.
Memory
Keeping your gums healthy prevents gingivitis and gum disease. It can also help improve your memory, according to the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry. In a study by the journal, adults who had gingivitis performed worse than those who didn’t on memory and cognitive skills tests. They were more likely to perform poorly on tests of delayed verbal recall and subtraction–two skills we use every day.
Diabetes
Diabetes can make it more difficult to fight infections, including infections of the gums. Some experts have linked uncontrolled diabetes with gum disease. Experts suggest that untreated gum disease may make it more difficult to control blood sugar levels. Having a healthy mouth will help you protect your overall health by making it easier to control your diabetes.
Pre-term Delivery and Low Birth Weight Babies
Some research suggests a link between gingivitis and pre-term, low-birth-weight infants. With 1 in 8 babies born prematurely, prevention is the key. Maintaining good oral health may help prevent premature delivery.
See your dentist as part of your prenatal care. He or she will give you good tips and insight into oral health and a healthy pregnancy. You can also visit for dental cleanings in your second trimester. Cleanings help prevent gum inflammation, which is common with changing hormones.
A Healthy Mouth, A Healthy Body in Childhood
It’s never too early to teach your children to care for their teeth and gums. Healthy habits learned in childhood can pay off in adulthood. If you’re tempted to shrug off your good oral hygiene habits–brushing, flossing, and seeing your dentist regularly — remember you’re a role model for your kids.
As you can see, the phrase “healthy mouth, healthy you” is true and backed by growing scientific evidence. Visiting the dentist regularly, caring for your teeth and gums at home, and getting deep gum cleanings can prevent gum disease.
How to Reverse Gum Disease
Periodontal maintenance therapy is an ongoing program to prevent gum disease in the gum tissue and bone. This therapy helps patients at risk of developing gum disease or who have been treated for gum disease.
Maintenance visits to the periodontist will help prevent additional future dental problems. Treating the disease in its early stages saves you discomfort and money.
Why is periodontal maintenance necessary?
Gum disease is caused by bacteria found in plaque. The toxins produced by the bacteria attack your gums and teeth. If you do not remove the plaque, it will harden and form calculus.
Even someone dedicated to good oral hygiene cannot completely prevent calculus on the teeth. Flossing and brushing will keep the calculus to a minimum, but regular maintenance must remove what has been missed.
A dental cleaning will remove bacterial buildup. During your maintenance cleaning, the hygienist will also check for hidden gum problems.
How often do I need a maintenance visit?
Your periodontist will recommend how often you should have a periodontal maintenance visit. These factors will determine how often you visit:
- Your type of gum disease
- Types of gum treatment you’ve had in the past
- How you’ve responded to gum treatments
- How quickly you develop plaque
The most important factor, however, is how dedicated you are to good hygiene at home. At-home care will regularly remove food debris and bacteria that build on the gums. You can prevent calculus if you thoroughly brush and floss.
Scaling and Root Planing
As we mentioned before, plaque and tartar on teeth provide the right conditions for bacteria to thrive. The bacteria irritate the gums, which can cause them to bleed more easily. You may notice this when brushing your teeth or eating. This is the early stage of gum disease called gingivitis.
If you have gingivitis, your dentist or hygienist will clean your teeth by scaling and polishing them. During scaling, we remove bacteria from beneath the gums. Then, during root planing, we remove bacteria from the tooth roots.
If you have chronic gum problems, we may also recommend an antiseptic mouthwash containing chlorhexidine. Our team will also show you how to brush and floss your teeth effectively. Most adults have some degree of gum disease. Knowing how to keep gum problems at bay will set you up for success.
Periodontal Treatment in Concord and Lexington, MA
Use our website links to explore more of our gum-related treatments:
Contact Our Dental Offices
Maintain your smile with regular dental care and periodontal treatment to help prevent problems like gum disease. You can also receive gum therapy in our Concord and Lexington offices. Contact our Concord dental office today at 978.391.6081. You may also call our Lexington office at 781.384.5892.
Let us know if you have any questions about your gum problems. We’re here to help you improve your gum health.