One of the reasons why periodontal disease (or gum disease) is the second-most common oral health issue is because of how it forms. The disease is a product of oral bacteria, which naturally inhabit your mouth and produce substances that can damage your gum tissues. However, another reason why gum disease is so prominent is because patients who develop it often hesitate or neglect to address it. Part of that hesitation is due to misconceptions about periodontal treatment, such as the belief that it has to be complex and extensive. At our Encinitas/San Diego periodontal office, we perform expert, modern periodontal treatment in a more conservative and holistic manner than many patients expect.
It’s more holistic than you might realize
Periodontal disease is a significant threat for several important reasons. For example, it’s the leading cause of adult tooth loss due to the damage that it causes to healthy gums and jawbone structure. If left untreated, it can also be a hazard to your systemic health, becoming a significant risk factor for several different chronic health conditions. Holistic care takes the systemic connection of your oral health into consideration, helping you treat and manage periodontal disease in a way that helps minimize the disease’s impacts on the rest of your health. For example, treatments such as ozone therapy and platelet-rich therapy help eliminate gum disease-causing bacteria and boost your gums’ ability to heal themselves.
It helps control more than just gum disease
Because of its effects on your systemic health, holistically treating and managing gum disease also helps you control certain risks to your overall wellbeing. For instance, when oral bacteria overwhelm your gums, they incite rampant inflammation that drives the destruction behind gum disease. This raises your risks of inflammation in other areas of the body, making it a threat to more than just your smile. Bringing the inflammation in your gums under control helps prevent it from becoming a significant factor in your chances of developing another chronic inflammatory disease.
It includes replacing lost teeth, if necessary
Depending on how long periodontal disease is allowed to progress, it may have already led to tooth loss or the need for tooth extraction by the time many patients seek treatment. Because the goal of treatment is to restore your whole smile, your plan may include placing a lifelike prosthesis such as dental implants to restore lost teeth. After your gum disease is brought under control, one or more dental implants can be placed inside of the jawbone to replace the roots of the lost teeth. The posts can be used to support an appropriate restoration, such as a dental crown, bridge, or denture.
Benefit from advanced periodontal treatment
Today’s periodontal treatment helps you improve and preserve your oral and periodontal health more effectively and conservatively than ever before. For more information, schedule a consultation with Dr. Kania by calling her periodontal office in Encinitas/San Diego, CA, at (760) 642-0711.