If you have just been diagnosed with gum disease, you may be worried about the treatments facing you, especially if you have done some research on the Internet and read about gum surgery or other quite invasive techniques. The good news is if your dental disease has been caught early on, it’s likely that it can be managed through better dental care and additional cleanings at your dental office. Studies show that after 5 years, 4 out of 5 patients with gum disease who received the additional cleanings recommended by their dentist did not require gum surgery.

If your gum disease is extensive your best dentist may recommend you visit a periodontist, as these are dentists who have received extensive training in dealing with periodontal disease, and they are familiar with the latest techniques in diagnosing and treating the dental disease. All dentists will ensure that you receive the least invasive treatment, and that it’s the most cost effective.

Scaling and root planing is a highly effective treatment for a lot of patients, and many who receive this dental care treatment do not require any further active treatment. However they are likely to require ongoing maintenance to ensure gum health is fully restored. Gum surgery is only needed in the most severe cases, and is necessary when the gum tissue around the teeth is so unhealthy that it cannot be repaired without surgical treatment.

Are you worried you may have gum disease. Do need a great dentist. We can help. Our free Dental Directory will help you find the very best dentist in your neighborhood; all you have to do is enter your zip code. You can book an appointment,  ask questions, and read reviews on dentists.

Although it’s a bit early to shout it from the rooftops, scientific research shows that good dental care might reduce the number of deaths caused by America’s number one killer.

Periodontal disease, the end result of poor oral hygiene, has been implicated as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

High blood pressure, strokes, coronary heart disease, and congestive heart failure – collectively known as cardiovascular disease (CVD) – account for one of every three deaths in the United States each year. According to the American Heart Association, CVD claimed over 830,000 lives in 2006; over half of these were attributable to coronary heart disease (heart attacks) alone. (1)

Among some populations, the statistics are even grimmer: 65% of all deaths in people who have type 2 diabetes are caused by CVD. (2)

Although a great deal of research and a large portion of our healthcare dollars are devoted to ameliorating the impact of CVD, it is incumbent upon every person to adopt a lifestyle that minimizes the risk for succumbing to this devastating condition.

That’s where a daily dental care regimen of tooth brushing and flossing – along with regular visits to a best dentist and hygienist – enters the picture.

Inflammation Is at the Heart of Cardiovascular Disease

Clinical studies have confirmed that inflammation plays a key role in the genesis of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Inflammation, of course, is our immune system’s natural response to injury and foreign invaders. Any time an unfamiliar entity – a bacterium, fungus, virus, allergen, or parasite – breaches our immune defenses, it triggers a cascade of physiologic events that are designed to eliminate the intruder. Inflammation is the initial “all-or-none” phase of this cascade.

Unfortunately, uncontrolled inflammation can harm our tissues and organs. This is why inflammation is normally “down-regulated” after a threat has been addressed. If our immune defenses are constantly being challenged, however, inflammation persists and our tissues are subjected to chronic, low-grade injury.

This seems to be the situation for many people who already suffer from cardiovascular disease…and for many others who are at risk. Scientists have learned that they can detect inflammation in the tissues of these individuals by measuring certain chemicals in their blood. Indeed, physicians now routinely measure levels of a specific protein – called C-reactive protein, or CRP – to assess patients’ risk for CVD or to evaluate their response to medical treatment.

Periodontal Disease Raises the Risk for Cardiovascular Disease by Increasing Inflammation

For more than two decades, scientists have speculated that periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease are linked. For example, in 1996 Dr. James Beck demonstrated that men who had periodontal disease were nearly twice as likely to die from heart attacks as men who had healthy oral tissues. Furthermore, the risk of developing CVD was proportional to the severity of periodontal involvement. Beck suggested that periodontal disease provided an ongoing source of bacterial toxins and inflammatory mediators that both initiated and aggravated atherosclerosis. (3)

Although several investigators have drawn the same conclusions that Dr. Beck and his colleagues did, not all studies support an association between periodontal dental disease and CVD. However, one 2003 meta-analysis of all relevant data dating back nearly 25 years showed that periodontal disease did, indeed, increase a person’s risk of CVD by about 20%, and for individuals younger than 65 years the risk was increased by over 40%. (4)

More recently, in an elegant experiment designed to evaluate how the treatment of mild to moderate periodontal disease in human volunteers might reduce their risk for CVD, Dr. Stefania Piconi and a team of scientists demonstrated a decrease in the number of bacteria in test subjects’ mouths, a reduction in inflammatory mediators in their bloodstreams, and improvement in the appearance of their major arteries following treatment. (5)

Such results offer compelling evidence that periodontal disease – even when it is mild – is a “modifiable” risk factor for CVD.

How many heart attacks and strokes could be prevented if periodontal disease was virtually eliminated? It’s hard to say. But, with 40% of the American population suffering from periodontal disease, and with over 80 million of us also having some form of cardiovascular disease, it seems clear that good oral hygiene is another “heart healthy” habit we should all acquire.

Simple dental care hygiene can  reduce the risk for heart disease. Get started by checking your cavity risk and gum disease risk levels today.

Sources:

1. American Heart Association. Cardiovascular Disease Statistics. March 19, 2010

2. Gavin J, Peterson K, Warren-Boulton E. Reducing Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Message from the National Diabetes Education Program. Am Fam Phys. 2003;68(8):1569-74

3. Beck J, Garcia R, et al. Periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. J Periodontol. 1996;67(10 suppl):1123-37

4. Janket S, Baird A, et al. Meta-analysis of periodontal disease and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Oral Surg, Oral Med, Oral Path, Oral Radiol, Endod. 2003;95(5):559-695

5. Piconi S, Trabattoni D, et al. Treatment of periodontal disease results in improvements in endothelial dysfunction and reduction of the carotid intima-media thickness. FASEB J. 2009;23:1196-1204

Most children and adults should see their dentist for a regular cleaning and check up every six months. People at a greater risk for oral diseases should have dental check ups more than twice a year. Tobacco and alcohol use, diabetes, pregnancy, periodontal and gum disease, poor oral hygiene and certain medical conditions are some of the many factors that your dentist takes into consideration when deciding how often you need your dental cleaning and check up.
(Author should be test account carmedentist1)

Scientists have found out that using anti-inflammatory eye drops is also linked to worsening dental health and tooth decay. Specialists at the British Dental Health Foundation warn that using anti-inflammatory eye drops and some other prescription medications is linked to such problems as dry mouth, which is connected to insufficient amounts of saliva in the mouth, giving weakened protection against harmful acids and other chemical compounds. If you use eye drops and suffer from dry mouth, keep this condition under control by using artificial saliva when necessary, and drinking plenty of water.

There are also plenty of gums, gels and lozenges available over-the-counter which are made specifically to deal with dry mouth and which help encourage the production of saliva. Some people find sugar free sweets to be useful in helping their mouth feel more comfortable. It’s very important to produce sufficient amounts of saliva as it gives excellent protection against dental diseases.

If you do suffer from dry mouth, you should also take better care during your daily dental care regime, and try to keep your teeth and gums as clean as possible. If your medication is giving you dry mouth, your best dentist recommends seeking medical advice before discontinuing the medications, as you should never just stop taking prescribed medicines Control.

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Just about everyone is aware that wine contains antioxidants, and that a glass or two a day is good for your health, but now it looks as if it could be good for your dental health too. A study in Italy was conducted on red and white wine, and the alcohol was removed to prevent ethanol from interfering with the tests.

Researchers mixed cavity causing bacteria with the wines, and both red and white wines fought these bacteria and other streptococcal bacteria which could cause throat infections. The research team thought red wine could have more antibacterial properties than white wine, but further research is needed to clarify this. Other research involved isolating acids found in both red and white wine, and testing the acids against the bacteria. The results showed the acids were more effective against the bacteria when isolated than in the wines, so it appears as if wines could dilute the benefits to some extent.

The polyphenols or antioxidants contained in wines have also been found to help neutralize inflammation caused by plaque bacteria. Limiting this inflammation could help to prevent gingivitis or the more serious dental disease, periodontal disease from developing.

Although red wine has a reputation for staining your teeth, it’s likely the best dentists will recommend drinking red wine over white wine, as white wine does have a high acid content which some researchers think could erode tooth enamel in heavy drinkers. White wine drinkers are recommended to eat cheese to help counteract any effects of the acid, but red wine drinkers may like to try the same trick, as wine and cheese is a classic pairing.

Do you think you may be at risk of developing cavities in your teeth. Why not find out with our free Cavity Risk Assessment? It only take a minute to do, and will give you access to lots of unique, and valuable tips and tools to help you reduce this risk, and your dental bills.

Women’s oral health needs are slightly different to men at particular phases during their lives as changes in female hormone levels can exaggerate their body’s reaction to plaque bacteria. These times include puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and the menopause, and it’s important for women to be especially vigilant in their dental care regime during these periods and to brush and floss thoroughly each day in order to avoid dental diseases such as gum disease.

Some women notice their gums become slightly swollen and are more prone to bleeding just before their periods, while others are more vulnerable towards developing cold sores or canker sore. Luckily these symptoms usually subside once that period begins. Women on oral contraceptives may find their gums become more inflamed, and if this is the case then they need to be vigilant about their oral health all of the time, and must make sure they see their best dentist regularly for checkups and professional cleanings.

During pregnancy some women become more susceptible towards developing pregnancy gingivitis, as their body becomes more sensitive to dental plaque, and it’s essential to receive extra prenatal care to keep this condition under control. Pregnant women may need to visit the dentist at shorter intervals to have this condition managed. The menopause is another stage where women may experience red or inflamed gums, and may also develop a condition called dry mouth which lessens the flow of protective saliva.

Need to find a new dentist? Simply enter your zip code into our Dental Directory to discover the best dentists in your neighborhood. You can ask questions, request an appointment, get driving directions and more, as well as read patient reviews. It is quick and easy, and best of all it’s free.

Research suggests managing periodontal disease may reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease.

“Over my 26 years as a practicing registered dental hygienist, many of my patients have the belief that bleeding during flossing or brushing is acceptable,” says Tammy P. Evans, RDH, Kingsgate Dental Clinic, Kirkland, Washington.  “The patient’s explanation is, they always bleed when they floss. Most people would be running to their physician if they experienced bleeding while rubbing their eye or touching their skin.”

Control starts in the dental chair. Dentists are providing additional testing on all periodontal and gingivitis patients. The test is a simple pin prick done right at the dental office and could save a life. It tests C-Reactive protein (CRP) and HbA1c (blood sugar). In definition, C-Reactive protein (CRP) is a major heart marker developed by the liver in response to inflammation in the mouth and is an accurate indicator of heart attack or stroke, in fact, more accurate than high cholesterol, according to the New England Journal of Medicine.

Studies done as early as 2003 showed a simple dental cleaning to remove tartar might reduce inflammation and at the same time reduce the thickness in the lining of the carotid artery.

Evans describes bleeding gums as a sign of active disease, the same as having an infected open wound. “The infection in a patient’s mouth triggers toxins that are released and circulate in the body,” she says. “The emphasis is that the infection must be treated immediately as well as preventing future re-infections.”

According to RDH, Pennwell Dental Group, inflammation is the culprit in many diseases including heart disease, stroke and periodontal disease.  The research shows a link to the major inflammatory marker, called C-Reactive protein, and bleeding gums and heart disease.

Loma Linda research shows a dramatic decrease in gingivitis with natural anti-inflammatory therapies when combined with traditional dental treatment. Research found that reducing inflammation in the mouth reduced inflammation throughout the body. Simply by treating periodontal disease and gingivitis by traditional methods, results in C-Reactive protein levels decreased by 25 percent.

This is good news for patients because typical treatment of heart disease done with statin drugs can have side effects. Statin drug treatment  alone only reduced C-Reactive protein by about 30 percent. However, incorporating natural anti-inflammatory with treatment indicated C-Reactive protein levels could be reduced a whopping 50 to 90 percent within weeks.

According to RDH, Pennwell Dental Group there are three current studies that offer strong evidence about the impact of periodontal infection on the human body. These studies are from the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

According to the Journal (Aug. 2003)  researchers found that CRP values significantly decreased after periodontal treatment, meaning since the treament of periodonititis appears to be effective in reducing CRP levels, patients at risk for coronary heart disease may want to control their periodonititis.

In a second study, according to the Journal (Dec. 2003) Japanese researchers took a sampling of 7,452 men and women and examined and measured their oral health by testing their blood for 37 different items used in general blood tests.  Items tested included cholesterol, C-reactive protein and diabetes. The results were then compared to the oral-health scores of the participants.

In another study, 411 of 1268 participants were selected from the prospective Inflammation and Carotid Artery Risk for Atheroslerosis Study.  Dental and periodontal status and oral hygiene were evaluated at baseline measuring three World Health Organization-validated indices. The 7.5 month study was to identify patients with progressive carotid stenosis, a narrowing or constriction of the inner surface of the carotid artery, usually caused by atherosclerosis.

The results were that atherosclerosis progression was observed in 48 of the 411 or one-eighth of the patients finding significant predictors of disease progression. The conclusion of this study was that dental status,oral hygiene and particularly tooth loss are associated with the degree of carotid stenosis and predict future progression of the disease.

Parade Magazine (March 2009) in an article titled “How your gums affect your heart”, cited a recent report in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology revealing an astounding correlation: The more severe the gum disease, the thicker and harder the walls of the arteries.

In simpler terms, if blood was healthy, the oral health was healthy. If blood test detected certain “red flags” the person also had serious symptoms of periodontal diseases.

So what can be done?

The course of action is simple, start cleaning in between the teeth. Flossing is an essential part of dental care because periodontal disease and dental diseases begin between the teeth.

The reality is the number who floss daily is low. Studies reveal between five and 35 percent reported flossing when asked with accuracy depending on honesty.

Evans says, “The human mouth is a perfect incubator for bacterial growth which requires meticulous oral hygiene.  Our mouth demands ongoing maintenance using simple effective brushing and cleaning between all our teeth every 24 hours with floss or dental picks. It is that simple.”

“I do see the future,” Evans continued,  ”when nurses and physicians will be asking their patients during physical examinations, ‘when was the last time you had a professional dental hygiene examination and cleaning?’”

Managing heart health may reduce periodontal disease and vice versa and cooperation between cardiology and periodontal communities is an important first step in helping patients reduce their risk of these associated diseases.

Simple dental care hygiene can  reduce the risk for heart disease. Get started by checking your cavity risk and gum disease risk levels today.

Millions of children and adults participate in sports and recreation activities, and depending on the activity, they are at an increased risk of sustaining dental injury. When teeth sustain a traumatic blow or injury, the damage can often lead to permanent alteration in appearance or irreversible changes to its function. A single accident can create the need for lifelong follow-up care and maintenance.

April is National Mouthguard Month. The intention is to draw attention to the increasing and serious issue of oral trauma and injury as a result of sports and recreation activities. One in six sports related injuries is to the craniofacial area. Football, boxing, basketball, lacrosse and hockey are obvious examples of high contact, high risk activities but injuries aren’t confined to these sports. Often participating in non-contact sports results in dental trauma. Some of the most traumatic injuries have been reported as a result of baseball, bicycling, gymnastics or skateboarding. Studies show that while young boys show a slight higher prevalence of dental injury than girls, that gender difference evens out as they enter young adulthood.

The great news is that we can all easily protect our smiles by wearing a properly fitted mouthguard.

There are three types of athletic mouthguards, two of them are available over the counter and one is custom fabricated by a dentist. The over the counter versions offer convenience and are lower cost but have limitations in their comfort and level of protection. The first over the counter type is a pre-sized, stock version. They are generally available is sizes S-L and there is no customization for fit. They often don’t fit comfortably and wearers usually need to hold their teeth together to keep them in. For this reason, this type is considered to be less protective. The second over the counter type is commonly called a “boil and bite”.  The guard is warmed in boiling water then self adapted to the users mouth. This type has better retention than the stock version but is often bulky which can make it hard to speak or breathe. For optimal protection, there needs to be certain thickness of material in key areas.  This is a concern with the boil and bite due to the self adaptation process which often leads to dangerously thin areas. In addition, lab impact tests have shown that the boil and bite mouthguard has less adequate cushioning and shock absorption than that available with a custom fit. A custom made mouth guard is by far the most protective and comfortable type of guard. This version requires a visit to your dentist who will take impressions and either fabricate it onsite or send it to a laboratory for a precise, customized fit. Custom versions tend to be more expensive, but offer superior protection, are far more comfortable and are more easily adaptable to orthodontic appliances. The expense incurred to have a proper mouthguard made could save a person thousands of dollars if there is damage from an accidental injury.

Mouthguards for All!

The use of a mouthguard is not age dependent. It is recommended for all people, young and old, who participate in activities with the risk of injury to the face or teeth. When parents consider enrolling a child in an activity, they are recommended to have a conversation with their dentist to discuss the level of risk and whether a guard is appropriate. Good habits start young, so there will be increased acceptance and compliance by young adults if wearing a mouthguard has been part of their routine all along.

Periodontal disease, the end result of poor oral hygiene, has been implicated as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

High blood pressure, strokes, coronary heart disease, and congestive heart failure – collectively known as cardiovascular disease (CVD) – account for one of every three deaths in the United States each year. According to the American Heart Association, CVD claimed over 830,000 lives in 2006; over half of these were attributable to coronary heart disease (heart attacks) alone. (1)

Among some populations, the statistics are even grimmer: 65% of all deaths in people who have type 2 diabetes are caused by CVD. (2)

Although a great deal of research and a large portion of our healthcare dollars are devoted to ameliorating the impact of CVD, it is incumbent upon every person to adopt a lifestyle that minimizes the risk for succumbing to this devastating condition.

That’s where a daily dental care regimen of tooth brushing and flossing – along with regular visits to a best dentist and hygienist – enters the picture.

Inflammation Is at the Heart of Cardiovascular Disease

Clinical studies have confirmed that inflammation plays a key role in the genesis of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Inflammation, of course, is our immune system’s natural response to injury and foreign invaders. Any time an unfamiliar entity – a bacterium, fungus, virus, allergen, or parasite – breaches our immune defenses, it triggers a cascade of physiologic events that are designed to eliminate the intruder. Inflammation is the initial “all-or-none” phase of this cascade.

Unfortunately, uncontrolled inflammation can harm our tissues and organs. This is why inflammation is normally “down-regulated” after a threat has been addressed. If our immune defenses are constantly being challenged, however, inflammation persists and our tissues are subjected to chronic, low-grade injury.

This seems to be the situation for many people who already suffer from cardiovascular disease…and for many others who are at risk. Scientists have learned that they can detect inflammation in the tissues of these individuals by measuring certain chemicals in their blood. Indeed, physicians now routinely measure levels of a specific protein – called C-reactive protein, or CRP – to assess patients’ risk for CVD or to evaluate their response to medical treatment.

Periodontal Disease Raises the Risk for Cardiovascular Disease by Increasing Inflammation

For more than two decades, scientists have speculated that periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease are linked. For example, in 1996 Dr. James Beck demonstrated that men who had periodontal disease were nearly twice as likely to die from heart attacks as men who had healthy oral tissues. Furthermore, the risk of developing CVD was proportional to the severity of periodontal involvement. Beck suggested that periodontal disease provided an ongoing source of bacterial toxins and inflammatory mediators that both initiated and aggravated atherosclerosis. (3)

Although several investigators have drawn the same conclusions that Dr. Beck and his colleagues did, not all studies support an association between periodontal dental disease and CVD. However, one 2003 meta-analysis of all relevant data dating back nearly 25 years showed that periodontal disease did, indeed, increase a person’s risk of CVD by about 20%, and for individuals younger than 65 years the risk was increased by over 40%. (4)

More recently, in an elegant experiment designed to evaluate how the treatment of mild to moderate periodontal disease in human volunteers might reduce their risk for CVD, Dr. Stefania Piconi and a team of scientists demonstrated a decrease in the number of bacteria in test subjects’ mouths, a reduction in inflammatory mediators in their bloodstreams, and improvement in the appearance of their major arteries following treatment. (5)

Such results offer compelling evidence that periodontal disease – even when it is mild – is a “modifiable” risk factor for CVD.

How many heart attacks and strokes could be prevented if periodontal disease was virtually eliminated? It’s hard to say. But, with 40% of the American population suffering from periodontal disease, and with over 80 million of us also having some form of cardiovascular disease, it seems clear that good oral hygiene is another “heart healthy” habit we should all acquire.

Simple dental care hygiene can  reduce the risk for heart disease. Get started by checking your cavity risk and gum disease risk levels today.

Sources:

1. American Heart Association. Cardiovascular Disease Statistics. March 19, 2010

2. Gavin J, Peterson K, Warren-Boulton E. Reducing Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Message from the National Diabetes Education Program. Am Fam Phys. 2003;68(8):1569-74

3. Beck J, Garcia R, et al. Periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. J Periodontol. 1996;67(10 suppl):1123-37

4. Janket S, Baird A, et al. Meta-analysis of periodontal disease and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Oral Surg, Oral Med, Oral Path, Oral Radiol, Endod. 2003;95(5):559-695

5. Piconi S, Trabattoni D, et al. Treatment of periodontal disease results in improvements in endothelial dysfunction and reduction of the carotid intima-media thickness. FASEB J. 2009;23:1196-1204

Tobacco and alcohol use, diabetes, pregnancy, periodontal and gum disease, poor oral hygiene and certain medical conditions are some of the many factors that your dentist takes into consideration when deciding how often you need your dental cleaning and check up.

Going to your regular check ups will help to keep your gums and teeth healthy as well as detect any early problems such as gum disease, oral cancer and cavities. The best way to maintain good oral health is to visit your dentist on a regular basis.

Need to schedule a check up? Simply enter your zip code into the Dental Directory to find your dentist or to discover the best dentists in your neighborhood. Each dentists profile allows you to ask questions, request an appointment, get driving directions and more, as well as read patient reviews.

Already scheduled for a cleaning? Get better informed about your oral health and how to improve it by checking your cavity risk and gum disease risk levels with the Dental Optimizer free online risk assessment tools.