Dental Implant Surgeons Address the Gum Disease Scourge Affecting So Many Litchfield Park AZ Residents, PART 3

In this four-part article series, a panel of dental implant surgeon provides us with an in-depth understanding of gum disease, which is one of the most common illnesses affecting American society today.

Welcome to the third installment of this four-part article series on gum disease and the considerable problems it causes for those unfortunate Litchfield Park residents who have it. Previously, in Part 2 of this series, we took a look at the various risk factors and causes of gum disease.

Now, given our new understanding of what causes this terrible oral ailment, our panel of dental implant surgeons will explain to our readers the ideal lifestyle that should minimize the risk of you developing gum disease. We shall then move on to explain just how potentially dangerous gum disease can be if left without treatment.

The Ideal Gum Disease Free Lifestyle

People who live a gum disease free life and who maintain a gorgeous, healthy smile:

•    Brush their teeth at least twice a day.

•    Floss every day.

•    Follow a healthy diet with minimal sugar and simple carbohydrates

•    See the dentist and oral hygienist twice per year for scheduled check-ups and cleanings, respectively.

•    Stay away from illegal drugs.

•    Imbibe alcohol in moderation.

•    Don’t smoke or chew tobacco.

•    Don’t ignore oral problems and seek professional dental care immediately.

The Real Dangers of Untreated Gum Disease

It’s bad enough that gum disease can totally ruin the appearance of your smile and negatively influence how people view you on a social and professional level… but, that’s not where sufferers’ problems end!

“Gum disease has systemic effects, which means that the damage it causes isn’t limited to the oral cavity,” explains a dental implant surgeon in Litchfield Park. “In fact, gum disease shares a relationship with a great number of other illnesses and ailments that affect all of your body’s organs! And potentially fatally, too.”

According to the medical literature, gum disease and diabetes are closely linked with one another, as is gum disease and heart disease. In other words, having one leaves you more likely to develop the other and vice versa. Here are some other diseases that share a shocking connection with gum disease:

•    Liver and kidney disease

•    Respiratory infection

•    Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

•    Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis

•    An increase risk of stroke

•    Premature birth and low birth weight babies

“Having an unhealthy mouth leaves your entire body at risk of infection and disease, which is why good oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist are so important,” say Litchfield Park dental implant surgeons. “It’s about so much more than just maintaining a beautiful, confident smile… you cannot have a healthy body without a healthy mouth when the air you breath and the food you eat constantly pass through it.”

The best solution to gum disease is to prevent it and that’s one of the positive messages being delivered by dental healthcare professionals today: gum disease can easily be prevented! But, if you have already been diagnosed with gum problems or suspect that you may have gum disease, it’s never too late to be treated. The earlier the better, so tune in again next week to find out more about your treatment options.

Stay Tuned for Part 4

To find out more about gum disease and the various treatments available to Litchfield Park residents, stay tuned for the final installment of this four-part article series.

Dental Implant Surgeons Address the Gum Disease Scourge Affecting So Many Glendale AZ Residents, PART 2

In this four-part article series, a panel of dental implant surgeon provides us with an in-depth understanding of gum disease, which is one of the most common illnesses affecting American society today. 

Welcome to the second installment of this four-part article series on gum disease and the considerable problems it causes for those unfortunate Glendale residents who may have it. Previously, in Part 1 of the series, we took a look at the key symptoms of gum disease, the main ones being gum inflammation, swelling and bleeding and bad breath.

“Untreated gum disease will eventually lead to tooth loss,” warned our panel of dental implant surgeons in Glendale.

In Part 2, we’ll be shifting our attention to the very habits and lifestyles that leave us far more susceptible to developing gum disease. But first…

What Exactly IS Gum Disease?

Gum disease is a condition resulting from a chronic bacterial infection of the gums. It begins as a mild infection called “gingivitis,” which typically presents as slightly puffy and inflamed gums, as well as bad breath. With persistent bad habits, such as smoking, a poor diet, heavy alcohol consumption and/or poor oral hygiene, the infection can become more severe.

“Oral bacteria consume the sugars we introduce to our mouths and produce acidic by-products that erode away our dental enamel and irritate the gums,” explains a Glendale dental implant surgeon. “This is how cavities and gum inflammation are caused and it’s precisely why regular brushing and flossing are so important.

“However, as the infection is allowed to progress, the bacteria can penetrate into the snug spaces between the teeth and the gums, where no amount of brushing can eliminate them. Here, they form deep periodontal pockets of infection that can ultimately destroy the ligaments and other connective tissues that keep the teeth in place, which is why untreated gum disease leads to tooth loss. It’s at this advanced stage that the disease becomes known as “periodontitis”.”

The Top Causes of Gum Disease

And so, to recap what was discussed in the previous section, gum disease is typically caused by one or more of the following factors:

•    Poor oral hygiene: Not brushing or flossing thoroughly and/or frequently enough and not seeing the oral hygienist for a professional clean at least twice per year.

•    Tobacco use: Chewing and smoking tobacco irritate the gums and encourage the growth of bacteria that lead to gum disease.

•    A bad diet high in sugar: Oral bacteria are fuelled by sugar, so if you have a diet that is packed with sugar and simple carbohydrates, you will be at a greater risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

•    Genetics: “Unfortunately this is not something you can do much about,” say Glendale dental implant surgeons. “If you are genetically predisposed to having gum problems and/or if you are male, you will have to up your oral hygiene routine and be stricter on your diet in order to prevent yourself from developing gum disease.”

•    Alcohol consumption: Alcoholic beverages tend to be acidic and packed with sugar, which is bad enough for your teeth. Couple that with the dehydrating effects of alcohol and the unhealthy eating that tends to come hand-in-hand with a heavy night out and you’ve got a recipe for gum disease. Moderate your intake.

•    Certain medications: If you’re on chronic medications for depression, heart disease or allergies and if you’ve noticed that these medications tend to give you “dry mouth,” speak to your dentist about it. Saliva is important in fighting the bad bacteria in the mouth and so a deficit of it can leave you more vulnerable to gum disease.

•    Hormonal fluctuations: “During puberty, menopause and pregnancy, your hormones tend to be all over the place and this can leave you more susceptible to gum problems,” explains one dental implant surgeon in Glendale. “Make sure you visit your dentist regularly during these times and keep up the healthy eating and good home oral hygiene!”

Stay Tuned for Part 3

To find out more about gum disease and why it poses such a health risk to Glendale residents, stay tuned for the third installment of this four-part article series.

Dental Implant Surgeons Address the Gum Disease Scourge Affecting So Many Sun City West Residents, PART 1

In this four-part article series, a panel of dental implant surgeon provides us with an in-depth understanding of gum disease, which is one of the most common illnesses affecting American society today. 

Gum disease is one of the most common ailments affecting the residents of Sun City West and, in fact, the entirety of North America. According to the Center for Disease Control (the CDC), a staggering 8 out of 10 Americans have gum problems, which may range from mild gingivitis to severe periodontitis. Both are forms of gum disease that, without treatment by a trained dental professional and improved oral hygiene, could eventually lead to tooth loss.

Many of the key problems behind these statistics are bad lifestyle choices like drug abuse, smoking and heavy alcohol consumption. But the predominant culprits are simply ignorance and a lack of proper oral hygiene. You don’t need to lead a hedonistic lifestyle to develop gum disease and many Sun City West residents have learned this the hard way.

And so, in an effort to abolish ignorance, this four-part article series is geared at helping our readers better understand gum disease: what it is, what it’s caused by, the various symptoms we should all be on the lookout for and what treatment entails. Our advice is supplied by some of Sun City West’s most respected dental implant surgeons, who routinely address the damage done by this nefarious dental health issue.

Without further ado, let’s get started with the first question on everybody’s lips…

How Do I Know If I Have Gum Disease?

All too often we leave medical conditions and problems until we can no longer tolerate the symptoms. By this stage, of course, the problem has likely become advanced and more complex and costly to treat. This is precisely the case with gum disease, which initially may not present with very painful or obvious symptoms.

“Many of the patients we treat for gum disease only actually book an appointment with their dental healthcare professional after the disease has become advanced,” explains a Sun City West dental implant surgeon. “This is because gum disease seldom causes pain or discomfort in its early stages. It can quite easily be ignored and because most people don’t go for their bi-annual dental appointments as they should, the disease goes undiagnosed and untreated for far longer than it should.”

The first step in combatting gum disease is spreading awareness of its symptoms, which – you’ll be surprised to learn – are far more common than we’d like to think. In fact, chances are you may have (now or in the past) been personally acquainted with one or more of them…

The Symptoms of Gum Disease

And so, to answer the question stated above, you may have gum disease if you have noticed one or more of the following symptoms:

•    Gums that are red and inflamed: healthy gums are pink in color.

•    Swollen gums that may appear to be encroaching on the crowns of the teeth, making them look smaller and shorter.

•    Gums that bleed easily when brushing, flossing or even biting into tough, fibrous foods.

•    The appearance of a swollen “tear-drop” shaped bulb of gum tissue between each tooth.

•    Persistent bad breath (halitosis) that returns shortly after brushing.

•    The visible appearance of yellowish or even grey deposits of plaque, tartar and other calculus on and between the teeth.

In the advanced stages of gum disease, some of the following additional symptoms may become evident:

•    A persistent foul taste in the mouth that returns shortly after brushing.

•    Moderate to severe tooth discoloration.

•    The unnatural recession of the gums from the crowns of the teeth, possibly even exposing the roots of the teeth, which can lead to tooth sensitivity.

•    Tender, sensitive gums.

•    Oral lesions and sores that come and go.

•    Teeth that feel loose and ultimately, tooth loss.

“We want everyone to know that without treatment and an improvement in lifestyle and oral hygiene, gum disease will cause you to lose all of your natural teeth,” warns our panel of Sun City dental implant dentists.

Stay Tuned for Part 2

To find out more about gum disease and why it poses such a health risk to Sun City West residents, stay tuned for the second installment of this four-part article series.

A Specialist Presents 6 Shocking Facts You Didn’t Know About Gum Disease PART 2

This two-part article series presents some pretty scary facts about a common disease many Arizona residents have, but don’t even know it: gum disease.

Welcome to the second half of this two-part article series on gum disease and the six surprising facts many Arizona residents didn’t know about this prevalent ailment. In Part 1, the first three facts were discussed and they were:

Fact 1: According to the CDC, 80% of Americans present with some stage of gum disease, whether it’s gingivitis or full-blown periodontitis.

Fact 2: Gingivitis is the beginning stage of gum disease and is characterized by bad breath, inflamed and swollen gums and gums that bleed when brushed and flossed.

Fact 3: If you don’t go to your dentist for gum disease treatment, you WILL ultimately lose all of your natural teeth.

Let’s take a look at the final three facts about gum disease…

 Fact 4: Gum disease is often left untreated because it doesn’t typically cause patients any pain.

Most of the time, Arizona residents will wait out an illness, rather than spend any money seeing a doctor. However, the number one symptom that provokes patients to seek medical attention is pain and this is the problem with gum disease: it doesn’t usually cause any!

“Gum disease can cause your gums to be uncomfortable, to bleed easily and to feel a little tender when brushed, but this discomfort is rarely enough to compel patients to see the dentist for professional treatment,” says a gum disease specialist. “Without urgent symptoms from which patients need relief, gum disease can be left without treatment for many years, by which stage the damage can be irreparable.”

Remember, avoiding the doctor out of a concern for cost might work with the common cold, avoiding professional treatment for dental problems does not. You will only end up with more extensive damage and more expensive bills. 

Fact 5: Gum disease puts you at risk of a suite of serious illnesses, including heart, respiratory, liver and kidney disease.Your mouth is the portal through which your body receives it’s life-giving air and nutrition, so if it heavily diseased and infected, what do you think’s going to happen to the rest of your body?

“There is a great volume of scientific literature on the connection between oral health and general health and as far as gum disease is concerned, there are some greatly alarming truths for patients to come to terms with,” says a gum disease treatment expert. “For instance, patients with gum disease are at a far greater risk of developing diabetes and heart disease than those who have healthy gums. A greater prevalence of liver and kidney disease and respiratory disease are also linked with a chronically unhealthy mouth.”

So, neglecting to look after your teeth and gums isn’t only a death sentence for your smile, it could literally be a death sentence for you too!

Fact 6: Gum disease is easy to prevent, but it has devastating effects if left without treatment.

And so we can see from the fact that gum disease (1) shares a relationship with a host of potentially fatal systemic diseases and (2) can totally destroy your smile if left without treatment that this ailment is indeed truly devastating. The good news is it’s easily preventable and treatable. It’s only in cases of profound neglect and ignorance that gum disease is left to inflict the full caliber of damage it’s capable of.

So, be sure to brush and floss thoroughly every day and see your dentist and oral hygienist at least once every six months for a dental check-up and cleaning!

6 Shocking Facts You Didn’t Know About Gum Disease, PART 1

This two-part article series presents some pretty scary facts about a common disease many Arizona residents have, but don’t even know it: gum disease.


Chances are you’ve heard of gum disease, whether it’s from your dentist, the warnings on the back of a packet of cigarettes or from a friend or relative who’s received a diagnosis for it. And while you may be aware that gum disease makes your teeth rot, your breath smell and your smile look positively awful, most Arizona residents know little else about the disease that’s ravaging the state’s oral health.

That all changes in this two-part article series, in which an experienced gum disease specialist explains six really important facts we didn’t know – but should know – about gum disease. Let’s begin!

Fact # 1: 8 Out of 10 Arizona residents have gum disease

This may sound like an exaggeration - after all, you wouldn’t say the majority of the people you share your life with have rotten teeth! But according to the Center for Disease control, as much as 80% of the population suffers from some degree or stage of gum disease. This is a shocking statistic that really brings home how staggering our neglect for good oral hygiene and routine preventative care is.

“If your gums bleed when you brush or floss them and if they’re red and swollen, as opposed to pink and firm, then you may have gum disease,” explains a treatment specialist in Arizona. “You may not have full blown gum disease, but you may certainly be suffering from the beginning stages known as gingivitis. It’s not normal for gums to bleed when you brush or floss them: that’s a sign of infection.”

Fact # 2: Gingivitis marks the beginning stages of gum disease

Many toothpaste ads boast their ability to fight the germs that lead to gingivitis, so the word means something to most Arizona residents. But did you know that gingivitis is actually the beginning stages of gum disease and is marked by a bacterial infection of the gums surrounding the teeth?

“Gingivitis is an infection of the gums caused by prolific bacterial activity, which is typically brought on by a lack of oral hygiene and routine professional healthcare,” says a gum disease treatment expert. “Frequent and thorough brushing and flossing and twice-yearly visits to the dentist are crucial for preventing the progression of gingivitis to full-blown gum disease, at which stage it becomes known as periodontitis.”

Fact # 3: Gum disease can cause you to lose ALL of your teeth

Most Arizona resident who have lost all of their teeth and who now wear dentures, had to have their natural teeth extracted because they had gum disease, which they ignored for many years.

“This is not a condition that goes away on its own,” says a gum disease specialist. “You’ve got to receive professional care and you’ve got to change your oral hygiene habits and lifestyle.”

The message is simple: if you don’t receive prompt gum disease treatment, you WILL ultimately lose all of your teeth!

Stay Tuned for Part 2

To find out more shocking facts on gum disease, stay tuned for the second half of this four-part article series.