Gum Disease Park Ridge IL Gingivitis, Periodontics, Heart Disease Niles IL, Chicago IL Kidney Failure DENTIST Park Ridge IL Many people consider dentistry to be just about teeth. Keeping them clean, white, and free of cavities. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT I would agree with that. DENTIST Park Ridge IL That would be incorrect. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Bummer. DENTIST Park Ridge IL Dental problems can also include gum disease. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Gum disease. I know what that is. It is when your gums get all pink and puffy. DENTIST Park Ridge IL Pink and puffy? Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Am I wrong about the puffy? DENTIST Park Ridge IL You could say puffy. We probably would say inflamed. But gum disease can actually be much more serious than pink and puffy. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Serious how? DENTIST Park Ridge IL First off, if gum disease, which is also called periodontal disease, goes on too long, it can weaken your gums, make them recede, and you can lose all your teeth. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Yikes! Losing teeth sounds a lot more serious than pink and puffy. DENTIST Park Ridge IL That is my point. Any missing teeth can ruin your bite, make chewing difficult, and give you recurring headaches. But the problem is bigger than teeth. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Bigger than teeth? DENTIST Park Ridge IL The biggest problem with gum disease is you have a disease in your mouth that is spreading throughout your body. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Spreading throughout my body? DENTIST Park Ridge IL Every minute. This can have many adverse affects. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Yuck. I would think so! DENTIST Park Ridge IL You have to understand, the mouth is a gateway to the entire blood supply. The mouth has an amazing number of blood vessels in it. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Is that why some medicines are placed under the tongue to absorb faster into the system? DENTIST Park Ridge IL Exactly. It is also why a critical part of dental health is preventing gum disease. Sadly, even though we estimate up to 80 percent of people are affected by gum disease, most don't take periodontal disease very seriously. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT I actually had it once. All I knew was my gums felt more sensitive and they tended to bleed easily. And I learned it can contribute to bad breath too. DENTIST Park Ridge IL All of that is true. Realize there are always bacteria in the mouth. And food particles from what we eat can settle in areas between the gums and teeth. These particles will decay to cause infections too. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT I had not thought of that. DENTIST Park Ridge IL And here is the big one. Because of this bleeding that accompanies gum disease, those bacteria in the mouth are in contact with the blood vessels. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT That is how it travels through the body! DENTIST Park Ridge IL Yes! One of the first things we discovered is it can contribute to heart disease. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Heart disease? You are kidding me. DENTIST Park Ridge IL Bacteria entering your blood vessels from your mouth can raise the body's immunity response, which can create inflammation in the heart and arteries. It not only can harm the heart, it can also thicken the walls of arteries which hinder the blood flow and make the heart work harder. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Okay, really not good. DENTIST Park Ridge IL This also increases chances for plaque to form in the arteries. If plaque lodges someplace that obstructs blood supply to the heart, there is a heart attack. If it obstructs blood flow to the brain, there is a stroke. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Really really not good. I am giving gum disease some serious respect. DENTIST Park Ridge IL There are many reasons to pay it attention. There is also a link between gum disease and diabetes. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Diabetes? DENTIST Park Ridge IL Gum disease doesn’t cause diabetes, but it can make it worse. Plus, if someone has diabetes, it can make them more likely to get gum disease. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT So you have diabetes, you have to be extra careful about gum disease? DENTIST Park Ridge IL Exactly. It is also known that pregnant women with serious gum disease may be seven times more likely to give birth prematurely. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Mamas beware of gum disease. My new motto. DENTIST Park Ridge IL Don’t stop there. We now believe there’s also a connection between severe gum disease and increased risks of pancreatic cancer - which is the fourth highest cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT I had no idea gum disease could be so serious! DENTIST Park Ridge IL Most people don’t. Bacteria circulating in blood can also put a strain on the immune system. You might get colds more often. Or they last longer. Of it is just that something always seems wrong. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Yucks! DENTIST Park Ridge IL before many surgeons perform transplants or other major operations, they first demand patients get a dental clearance from their dentist. Surgeons know if the body is weakened from gum disease, it could compromise the surgery. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Wow. People are taking this seriously! DENTIST Park Ridge IL They should. But even if gum disease isn’t so advanced to cause major illnesses, it can still make you sleep poorly. Or your digestion might be off. Or your brain may not think as well. You may just feel tired all the time. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT I hate feeling tired all the time. DENTIST Park Ridge IL I can understand that. Someone who is always tired has a harder time with life. They don't get what they want or need done. They get depressed. They may even turn toward drugs for depression. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT It just keeps on getting better and better. DENTIST Park Ridge IL The truth is, it can get better. With help from your dentist. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT This part I want to know. DENTIST Park Ridge IL To avoid gum disease in the first place is to keep up with good brushing and flossing. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT I can do that. DENTIST Park Ridge IL Next, make regular visits to your dentist and hygienist so they can help keep your gums and teeth clean and in good condition. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT I can do that. DENTIST Park Ridge IL If it is more serious, we can still help with deep cleaning like scaling and root planing. Plus if you would need gum surgery, we now can use lasers which are less painful and heal faster. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT Lasers. I love lasers! DENTIST Park Ridge IL We always advise patients that their gums are perhaps the most important thing to take care of. Not just for their mouth, but overall health. Park Ridge DENTAL PATIENT I am really beginning to see that! 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