As we age, the ravages of dental disease become more evident. Our supporting tissues (bones, connective tissue, joints etc.) weaken, we become more susceptible to the subtle changes that occur with the "normal" bacteria within our mouths. Remember that teeth and their supporting structures are used daily, in fact three and more times daily. The daily use of both for chewing and for para-functional uses (these are tooth contacts and pressures that occur when we sleep and at work) have an effect on both the teeth and the bone support beneath the teeth.
When we are born we get a "packet" of bacteria from our mothers. These are the basis of our bacteria that are present within our mouths. These bacteria aid us in digestion, water absorption and by their interactive chemistries create an environment of health or disease. Scientists believe that there may be as many as 700 different species of bacteria within the oral cavity. If we do a general analysis of these bacteria we would see most of the bacteria in all our mouths are similar. But, if we take a closer look we will see that with just subtle changes in the percentages of certain microbes within the oral cavity we now see disease as a result of these small changes. Controlling oral disease (infections) such as periodontal disease is a matter of keeping the percentages of bacteria in a healthy state.
Estimates are that 70-80,000,000 Americans have active periodontal infection at any given time. And with the newest scientific theories linking these gum infections with a myriad of systemic diseases, including heart disease, low birth weight babies, lung abscesses and arthritic joint infection, we must be more concerned about these illnesses. Getting your mouth and gums healthy may not only secure your teeth, it may also reduce your chances having the above mentioned systemic diseases. At our office, The Dentists Collaborative, we have a periodontist (specialist in gum diseases) who has been involved with dental and periodontal research for more than thirty years. Dr. Stephen Halem is currently a clinical research associate at The Forsyth Institute. The Forsyth Institute is one of the foremost dental research centers in the world. Dr. Halem has been involved with the research and development of the first FDA approved antibiotic drug treatment for periodontal disease. His background of over thirty (30) years of clinical practice and research benefits his patients with all aspects of their periodontal care.
Today, periodontal care should first address the microbiological aspects of the disease. When this is the prime factor our office has found that less than 20 patients undergo the painful and disfiguring outcomes of periodontal surgery. By utilizing a combination of systemic antibiotics and the use of local delivery antibiotics most patients achieve a status of periodontal health. In some cases we expand our therapy to include one of our three lasers. The use of the lasers is much less invasive than most periodontal surgeries. If you are a candidate for periodontal therapy we want you to discover the alternative to periodontal surgery. The use of antibiotic therapy and lasers is not only less painful it is also less expensive.
