Periodontal Therapy

Periodontal disease is diagnosed when a breakdown of the periodontal supporting tissues (gums, periodontal ligament and bone) is discovered. "Attachment loss" is the term used to describe breakdown of the gingival attachment fibers (and in more advanced periodontal disease, the periodontal ligament fibers). It is diagnosed by using a periodontal probe to measure the depth of the pocket formed where the teeth emerge from the gums. Early periodontal disease may not be evident on X-ray images, even though the bone may be softened by the disease process. Moderate to severe periodontal disease is evident on X-ray images.

A patient with active periodontal disease is diagnosed through the presence of bleeding upon light periodontal probing. Their gingiva may be red ("erythematous") to bluish-purple ("cyanotic") in color at infected sites, and will generally appear puffy due to the presence of fluid in the tissues. Instead of a stippled appearance, the surface of the gingiva will appear shiny and smooth due to an accumulation of inflammatory fluid.

Untreated chronic periodontal disease has been shown to contribute to poor systemic health. It seems intuitive that poor oral health and poor general health might be related. In fact, strong evidence continues to mount supporting this conclusion. If the proverbial lecture from dentists and hygienists to brush and floss seems blase, consider these facts. Periodontal disease has been linked to:

•Cardiovascular disease (blood vessels of the heart)

•Peripheral vascular disease (blood vessels of the body)

•Strokes

•Poor control of blood sugar among diabetics

•Pre-term labor, intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR), and low birth-weight babies