Gum Disease: Destroyer of Smiles
Have you ever thrown a party, but had an uninvited guest show up and crash it? (And if you haven’t more power to you)
Gum disease is a lot like that, except that that uninvited guest is actually
trying to tear down your home, piece by piece.
At first, you’ll notice a few things out of place: Hey, he’s not supposed to be
here. Why is he moving my furniture around? Then, the difference will start to
be problematic: Why is he taking down my curtains? And finally, you’ll look
around and find out he’s brought his friends, and they’ve brought
sledgehammers.
It is an extreme analogy to make a simple point: Just as nobody wants an
uninvited guest and their wrecking crew buddies to come over for an evening of
unplanned home demolition, you don’t want a case of gum disease to get
comfortable within your smile, because once it’s there, it’s almost impossible
to get out.
Yet there is one glaring and hugely important difference between my uninvited
guest analogy and a case of rampant gum disease, and that is gum disease always
gets an invitation, you just might not realize you sent it one.
That’s right: Gum disease is avoidable, and the only reason it can infect your
smile is because of what you did to make your mouth such an inviting place for
it.
I’m not trying to blame you, but you need to understand that if you’re
suffering from gum disease (especially the early stages, which are also known
as gingivitis), then the only reason you’re having to deal with it at all is
because you have failed to keep you teeth and gums clean enough. And a clean
mouth is no place for gum disease.
Conversely, the bacteria which causes gum disease love a dirty mouth. There’s
just no better way of putting it, because the dirtier your mouth is, the more
food there is. The more food there is – particularly sugars – then the more
comfortable the bacteria will be to invite his friends and family over to move
into his new digs.
The problem is that your smile is your digs, and if gum disease becomes
sufficiently advanced, then it can cause way more problems than just bad breath
(although that’s a symptom, too). Advanced gum disease – known as periodontitis
– can cause your teeth to shift and fall out, and has been linked to numerous
other health problems, including Alzheimer’s, stroke, heart disease, and more.
Your smile deserves better, and so do you.
How To Kick Gum Disease To The Curb
So you’ve decided you don’t want those terrible outcomes, but you’re not sure
where to start.
I’d recommend calling your St. John dentist to set up a dental exam. That way,
I can determine the exact nature of the gum disease, the extent of its
invasion, and then determine which treatment option is the best.
For early cases of gum disease, a simple teeth cleaning is usually enough to
remove the plaque on your teeth which can act as a “precursor” to full-blown
gum disease. Combined with a solid commitment to brushing twice a day and
flossing daily, we can evict gum disease in a short amount of time following
one simple afternoon appointment.
If you have a more advanced case of gum disease, then you’re going to need some
help. That’s because, after a certain point in its development, gum disease
bacteria will actually burrow deeper into the gum line, and usually it’s much
too deep for your toothbrush to reach.
That’s when you must give me a call so I can schedule you for what’s known as a
root scaling and planing. It’s a scientific phrase which basically means I will
use the equivalent of a mini pressure washer along with other instruments to
flush out the bacterial colonies which have built up inside the pockets of gum
tissue which have begun to pull away from your teeth.
You’ll be able to smile normally and without fear that it’s going to slip away
from you!
An Appointment You Can’t Afford To Miss
You shouldn’t be a stranger in your own home, and you definitely shouldn’t be a
stranger in your own smile. I can help you with my gum disease treatments, but
only if you call while there’s still time.
If you live in St. John, please call me at 219-322-9920. If you’re reading this
in Valparaiso, you can contact me at 219-462-1970.
To request an appointment with either of practices online, you can click this
link to fill out a simple web form, and we’ll get back to you right away!
About Us
Creating Smiles, PC, located in St. John and Valparaiso, Indiana, offers everything you need for a healthy smile and a healthier life. Dr. Kapers and his team can take the anxiety and uncertainty out of dental visits with sedation dentistry, and we're the premier provider of dental implants in the region.