February is the month when we celebrate love, but did you know that it is also National Gum Disease Awareness Month? Gum disease is surprisingly very common. In fact, 47% of American adults over the age of 30 have periodontitis, the more advanced stage of gum disease. But this condition affects more than just your mouth. It has been linked to serious medical conditions and can affect your entire body. By becoming educated about gum disease, you can get the gum disease therapy in Sparks that you need and even help prevent it, sparing yourself the potential damage that it can cause.
Tooth Loss
Gum disease is a chronic inflammation in your gums, but don’t let the name fool you. It also affects your teeth. Harmful bacteria in your mouth create acids that irritate the gums and attack the connective tissues between them and your teeth. Over time, the gums pull away from the teeth and the supporting tissue and bone can become permanently damaged. Without the proper support, teeth can become loose and need to be extracted. As you might imagine, losing one or more teeth or having a weaker bite impacts your capability to eat, affecting your entire body.
Diabetes
Studies have shown that those who have poorly managed diabetes are more likely to get gum disease more often, have it more severely, and lose more teeth than those without diabetes. The bacteria that cause gum disease thrive on sugar, so if you consume too much, you not only worsen your diabetes, but you also set the stage for gum disease. Also, once you get gum disease, it is much harder to keep your blood sugar under control.
Heart Disease
Recent research has found an association between gum disease and heart disease, which is caused by the narrowing or blockage of important blood vessels. Gum disease increases a person’s risk of heart disease by about 20 percent because inflammation of the gums and bacteria may eventually lead important arteries becoming narrow or blocked.
Kidney Disease
Kidney disease is a condition where your kidney is unable to clean your blood, filter extra water out of your blood, and help control your blood pressure. Similar to heart disease in risk, kidney disease becomes more likely for those who have periodontitis. Also, in recent studies, those with both kidney disease and severe gum disease were found to have a higher risk of death than patients with only kidney disease.
Gum disease is a serious condition, but it can be treated and prevented altogether. With proper oral care at home and with your dentist in Sparks, you can avoid this disease and its ill effects. Start now to improve your oral health, so that you can also help your overall health. For more information about gum disease and its relationship to medical conditions, contact your dentist or physician.
About the Practice
Dr. Marc Thomas has decades of dental experience and knowledge, which he shares with his patients on a daily basis. He and his staff at Vista Dental Care welcome patients of any age and offer comprehensive dental care, including restorative, cosmetic, orthodontic, and emergency treatment. To contact him for an appointment, call (775) 626-3535 or click here.