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Is there a connection
between smoking and periodontal disease?
Many research
studies and the American Academy of Periodontology clearly
illustrate a link between tobacco use and periodontal disease,
and decreased treatment effectiveness.
 When you smoke
you are more likely to develop periodontal disease, and have a
more severely case than those who do not use any form of
tobacco. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to have an
increase of bacteria plaque and calculus form on their teeth,
have deeper pockets between teeth and gums, and lose more bone
and tissue that support the teeth.
Following
periodontal treatment, dental implant surgery, or any type of
oral surgery, the chemicals in tobacco can also slow down the
healing process and make treatment results less predictable.
Tobacco use is
addictive, yet every year millions of Americans quit. The
dental benefits include reducing oral cancer and periodontal
disease. Quitting takes commitment, and is usually easier if
you have help. To begin a tobacco cessation program, talk to
Dr. Forrest.
According to
the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center (SCLC), studies have
shown that individuals who use “Quit Lines” double their
success rates. Quit lines are FREE telephone services that
connect callers to trained tobacco counselors. These
specialists help plan a specific method uniquely tailored to
each individual caller.
Use the
following number to help you or someone you love to quit:
1-877-U-CAN-NOW (1-877/822-6669)
QuitAssist
A network of
expert quitting information and tools.
Obtain this
Pamphlet: “How
Can I Quit Smoking?”
provided by the American Heart Association
Click on this
link: Tobacco
Use and Periodontal Disease
provided by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP)
I have been going to see my
dentist for several years, and have had my teeth cleaned every six months.
Why has my dentist not told me that I have gum disease?
 Your dentist has most likely done everything in his/her power to contain
your periodontal condition, however, it has progressed to the point that
ordinary dental procedures can no longer contain your periodontal condition,
and the intervention by a periodontist has become necessary
What is gum disease?
 Periodontitis, gum disease, or pyorrhea, is a bacterial infection.
Unfortunately, it is not caused by just one type of bacteria, which would
make its treatment a great deal easier, but, by a complex and difficult
group of bacteria, which renders treatment by normal methods i.e. antibiotics, virtually impossible. If untreated, this infection may lead to
the destruction of the underlying supporting structures of the teeth, such
as the bone and gums, which, in turn, may cause eventual tooth loss. It is
estimated that approximately 75% of the American population has some form of
gum disease. As a matter of fact, periodontitis, or gum disease, is the
leading cause of tooth loss in adults in the United States.
[FAQ
List]
What
are the stages of periodontal disease?
Gingivitis
- Gums
appear red and swollen
- Bleeding
may occur when gums are touched
- Teeth
are still firmly in place with no damage to
supporting bone structure
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Periodontitis
- Loss
of gum/tooth attachment occurs
- Pockets
form between teeth and gums
- Tissue
that binds teeth to bone is inflamed
- Bone
loss occurs
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Advanced
Periodontitis
- Gums recede
dramatically from teeth
- Pockets
deepen severely and may hold pus
- Teeth
become extremely loose and may fall out or need to
be extracted
- Severe
bone loss occurs
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For more
information about periodontal disease, click on the link below to view a
video from the American Dental Association.
[FAQ
List]
I have not had any pain in my
gums. Shouldn't I have felt some signs of periodontal disease?
 Not necessarily. Periodontitis is what is known as a silent disease. Most
patients are not even aware that they have it. The best analogy that we can
provide to you is that of heart disease. Most patients are not aware that
they have heart disease until the either begin to develop chest pains or
have a heart attack. Usually, by this time, heart disease is quite advanced.
The same occurs with gum disease. Most of the time, when a patient starts to
develop symptoms such as pain, gum abscesses, and tooth mobility, the
periodontitis is exceptionally advanced.
How would I know if I had
gum disease?
 There are several symptoms that accompany gum disease, however, remember
that you may have gum disease without having any or some of the following
symptoms:
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Bleeding gums while brushing your teeth
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Red, swollen or tender gums
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Pus between your teeth and gums
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Receding gums
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Persistent bad breath, odor or taste
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Loose teeth
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Spaces between your teeth that are not normally present
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Any changes in your bite pattern
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Any changes in the fit of partial dentures
How is gum disease
treated?
The treatment of gum disease depends on its degree
of severity. The stages
of gum disease are: early, moderate, and advanced, or combinations thereof.
According to the severity of the disease, treatment may vary from a simple
scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) and antibiotic therapy, to gum
surgery with bone grafts and dental implants.
[FAQ
List]
Is gum disease contagious?
Periodontitis is not contagious. Research has found that the patient's
immune system plays a very important role in the onset of periodontal
disease. Periodontitis can be linked, in man patients, to an immune
deficiency in specific white blood cells. This deficiency manifests its way
as gum disease. Patients that have certain diseases, diabetes, for instance,
are very susceptible to infections, thus more susceptible to gum disease.
Patients that are immuno-suppressed, such as cancer patients, that are
undergoing chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or patients that have undergone
organ transplantation, are exceptionally susceptible to pyorrhea. Patients
with certain viral infections, HIV being the best example of this category,
are extremely prone to developing rapidly destructive types of gum disease.
Research studies of spouses or mates of patients that have periodontitis
have indicated that, unless the spouse or mate is susceptible to gum
disease, periodontitis is not transmitted through intimate contact.
Does heredity play a
role in gum disease?
Yes, it does. Studies have shown that certain groups of African-Americans
are more susceptible to periodontitis. A very defined group of Mediterranean
Jews are also very prone to the development of gum disease. The
susceptibility to being infected by these bacteria have also been
demonstrated in children of parents that have gum disease.
[FAQ
List]
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