Gum/Periodontal Disease
If you have been told you have periodontal (gum) disease, you’re not alone. Many adults in the U.S. currently have some form of the disease. Periodontal diseases range from simple gum inflammation to serious disease that results in major damage to the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth. In the worst cases, teeth are lost.
Periodontal disease is an inflammatory condition that results in bone loss around the roots of our teeth. This condition has many causative and exacerbating factors. We all have hundreds of millions of bacteria in our mouths. Certain species of intraoral bacteria produce toxins that induce an inflammatory response by our body's immune system. This inflammation ultimately leads to recruitment of cells that break down the bone surrounding the roots of the teeth. Clinically, this is detectable as a "pocket". The extent or seriousness of the inflammatory response will depend on multiple factors such as oral hygiene, family genetics, smoking or diabetes. To learn more about the treatment of periodontal disease
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