Did you know that periodontitis (gum disease) can lead to other health problems when left untreated? Many patients see their dentist more frequently than their general doctor and the dentist can detect precursors for other conditions including heart disease, diabetes, potential birthing complications, Alzheimer's, esophageal cancer, and many more. Gum disease is not just limited to your mouth and MUST be treated to aid in disease prevention of your entire body.
A study titled Prevalence of Periodontitis in Adults in the United States: 2009 and 2010 estimates that 47.2percent, or 64.7 million American adults, have mild, moderate or severe periodontitis, the more advanced form of periodontal disease. In adults 65 and older, prevalence rates increase to 70.1 percent. When you combine all ages and demographics, the Surgeon General Reports that overall, 80% of Americans have some type of gum disease.
Periodontal disease is a REAL thing and it affects your ENTIRE body. When your provider completes a full periodontal probing where they measure your gums and document any bleeding, they are using this data to determine if you have periodontal disease or are susceptible to it. There are many contributing factors to this condition including, but not limited to, oral hygiene, frequency of dental visits, and genetics. It is important that your provider is completing a full mouth periodontal probing at least once a year in order to monitor your gum health and to recommend the proper treatment for you and your condition.
The chart below from www.wellnessmama.com demonstrates the increased risk of certain medical conditions for those patients with periodontal disease. As you can see, the bacteria that gets into the bloodstream from the mouth can negatively affect your heart, unborn babies, and can lead to other conditions. Again, it is very important to manage your gum health to reduce your risk for other health conditions. When your provider informs you of gum disease, it is NOT just in your mouth, this does affect other things and the sooner you treat it, the more likely we are to protect other parts of your body.
YOUR MOUTH AND BODY ARE CONNECTED!
If you have bleeding gums, high blood pressure, diabetes, are pregnant, or simply have not been to the dentist in the past 6 months, please call!
Gum health is very important to your TOTAL BODY HEALTH and your provider can help you stay healthy. Stay tuned for more posts about what gum treatments and diagnostic molecular tests are available to treat gum disease.