Gum Disease Treatment Lowers Health Care Costs

Posted on Jul 30, 2014 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

A study recently released by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shared some important findings. A study of health and dental insurance records of nearly 339,000 adults revealed that periodontal (gum) treatment improved the health of those with chronic diseases. These include people with heart disease, diabetes and premature births, among others. Those who had at least one periodontal treatment were shown to have lower medical costs and fewer hospitalizations than those who did not receive treatment.

A dramatic savings of 74% was seen among pregnant women. Adults with cardiovascular disease and diabetes had 20 – 40% lower health-care costs after periodontal treatment.

Internal inflammation is the link between gum disease and chronic health conditions. Although inflammation is the body’s response to infection, an excess tends to worsen heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. Eliminating gum infection seems to lighten the load to the extent that it benefits the body overall.

Gum disease begins with a sticky film that forms on teeth, known as plaque. Left untreated, gingivitis begins, which can turn into full-blown periodontal disease. In this, gums bleed easily, pull away from the teeth and are a dark red in color. Pus pockets form around some teeth as the infection persists. Eventually, tooth loss occurs.

The good news is gum disease is easy to prevent. Floss daily and brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time. Be committed to your 6-month check-ups and cleanings so any plaque build-up can be removed.

With your smile bright and healthy, you’ll enhance the health of your entire body and save much!

Aging Adults Can (and should) Have Healthy Teeth!

Posted on Jul 14, 2014 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

As adults age, it’s amazing how well natural teeth are able to hold up considering many years of biting, chewing, crunching and clenching. However, over time this continual wear and tear has an impact on tooth structure.

Many adults who are committed to their six month dental check-ups fail to maintain their oral health adequately at home. Although the lecture on flossing often goes in one ear and out the other, daily flossing has a tremendous effect on the health of teeth. Flossing removes food particles and plaque buildup between the teeth. This reduces bacteria in your mouth and lessens your potential for gum disease and cavities.

Some foods you eat are also a challenge to keeping teeth healthy, especially sugary and starchy foods. These carbohydrates ferment, causing oral bacteria in the mouth to produce acids that erode the enamel of teeth. These foods aren’t just candy and potatoes. They include things like colas and sports drinks.

Frequent snacking is also a problem since it causes acid in the mouth to be elevated over an extended time. Rather than snacking, chewing sugarless gum increases saliva, which cleanses the mouth and neutralizes acidity.

Aging also leaves us with a number of teeth that have been repaired over the years, such as having fillings, crowns or root canals. Although your natural teeth do not get more brittle as we age, those who have cracked or chipped teeth, fillings or root canals are more vulnerable to cracks and fractures since they no longer have their original structural integrity.

Wear and tear can also be caused from years of grinding or clenching teeth. This can wear down the biting surfaces of teeth, making them more susceptible to decay. Your general dentist is trained to spot cracks or fractures that may weaken teeth as well as teeth affected by grinding.

Keeping your natural teeth healthy – all of your life – is important to your overall health and well-being. If you are missing teeth, it’s necessary that each one is replaced. Dental implants are the most ‘natural’ method in today’s tooth replacement options. We’ll be happy to discuss implants with you during a consultation. Please call (828) 274-9440.

Aim For Lowest Number When Hygienist Performs ‘Probing’ Of Gums

Posted on Jun 27, 2014 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

Gum disease affects over 80% of the population at some time in their life. This is why your 6-month dental check-ups include ‘probing’ of the gums.

A periodontal probe is a thin instrument with a blunted end. It has markings that measure ‘pocket depth’ of gums. Using light pressure, the Hygienist places the probe’s tip into the gum tissue between each tooth and at front and back sides. The probe measures the pocket depth in six points around each tooth.

The depth of the periodontal pockets around teeth is the main indicator for the progression of gum disease and level of tissue destruction. Periodontal probing is the main tool used by dentists and periodontists for evaluating the severity of periodontal disease. Probing is also the recommended system in the U.S. to calculate levels of periodontal disease and is endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

During the probing process, you’ll likely hear the Hygienist call out numbers as she probes different points around each tooth. These are recorded in your patient chart. Hearing a ‘one’ or ‘two’ is an indication of healthy gums. Measured depths of ‘three’ and over indicates the presence of gum disease. When gum disease is classified at depths of 3 to 5, mild periodontal disease has begun. Five to 6 indicates moderate periodontitis and over 6 or 7 is severe periodontitis.

These measurements determine the level gum disease present as well as the treatment needed. Anything over a ‘3’ or ‘4’ level typically requires the skills of a Periodontal Specialist for successful treatment.

Periodontal disease is the nation’s leading cause of adult tooth loss. Early diagnosis of gum disease can prevent or minimize damage to teeth, supporting bone and connective tissues around teeth. Gum disease in initial stages (when bleeding is noticed while brushing teeth, for example) can often be treated with a thorough dental cleaning and committed at-home oral hygiene routine.

However, many people with periodontal disease delay care, allowing damage to progress. In addition to tooth loss, gum disease bacteria can create inflammatory triggers in the body. The bacteria associated with gum disease has been associated with severe health problems, including heart disease, stroke, arthritis, diabetes, memory loss, pre-term babies and more.

If you have delayed or avoided your 6-month dental check-ups, you are missing an important step in maintaining good overall health in addition to a healthy smile. If you find that dental check-ups and cleanings are uncomfortable, mention this to your Hygienist at the beginning of your appointment.

Keep in mind that patients who have 1 or 2 probing measurements don’t complain about discomfort during these visits. Healthy gums aren’t nearly as sensitive as those with bacterial inflammation. Ask your Hygienist how you can achieve a “number one” smile!

Call (828) 274-9440 if you’ve noticed bleeding when brushing, have sore or swollen spots on gum tissue, have persistent bad breath, or have gums that are red rather than a healthy pink. The sooner you receive diagnosis and treatment, the less involved your treatment needs will be.

Saliva Is Vital To Gum Health

Posted on Jun 26, 2014 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

In Winter months, we remind people to drink plenty of liquids because of the drying effects that cold temperature tends to have on the body. In Summer months, our reminder is the same, but for different reasons.

During hot months, the body loses moisture. Even if you don’t feel yourself sweating, the higher air temperatures cause the body to work harder to cool itself. People who participate in outside activities or sports are encouraged to drink 16 ounces of water prior and several ounces every 20 or so minutes.

Maintaining sufficient moisture impacts your ability to produce saliva. Saliva helps to cleanse the mouth and remove food particles and bacteria build-up between brushing.

For people involved in rigorous outdoor sports, certain ‘replenishing’ drinks (such as Gatorade) are helpful. However, we encourage both adults and children to stick to water. Water has no sugar, sugar substitutes or chemical additives and is ideally processed by the body.

This Summer, go and enjoy our beautiful Carolina outdoors! And, take some water with you wherever you go!