What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is an infection and inflammation that affects the tissues and bone that support teeth.
Healthy gum tissue fits like a cuff around each tooth.  When someone has periodontal disease, the gum tissue pulls away from the tooth.  As the disease gets worse, the tissue and bone that support the tooth are destroyed.  Over time, teeth may fall our or need to be removed.  Treating gum disease in the early stages can help prevent tooth loss.

How do I know if I have gum disease?
It can be hard to know.  You can have periodontal disease without clear symptoms.  That's why regular dental exams are so important.
If you notice any of these signs, see your dentist:

• gums that bleed during brushing and flossing
• red, swollen or tender gums
• gums that have pulled away from your teeth
• bad breath that doesn't go away
• pus between your teeth and gums
• loose or separating teeth
• a change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
• a change in the fit of partial dentures

 What causes periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is caused by plaque, a sticky film that if always forming on your teeth. Plaque contains bacteria that produce harmful toxins.  If teeth are not cleaned well, the toxins can irritate and inflame the gums.
Inflamed gums can pull away from the teeth and form spaces called pockets.  The pockets provide a space for more bacteria.  If the infected pockets are not treated, the disease can get worse.  The bone and other tissues that support teeth are damaged.

Other factors that may contribute to gum disease include:

• smoking or chewing tobacco
• diseases like diabetes, blood cell disorders, HIV infections and AIDS that lower the body's resistance to infection, making periodontal diseases more severe.
• crooked teeth or worn, loose or cracked fillings that may trap plaque
• pregnancy, use of birth control pills, or changes in female hormone levels
• certain medicines, such as steroids, some anti-epilepsy drugs, cancer therapy drugs, and some calcium channel blockers
• stress
• genetics

Periodontal Treatment:
Patients with periodontal, or gum, disease usually need more frequent dental visits than the average patient.  Your dental team can treat the disease with special deep cleanings, sometimes combined with medication to treat the infection.  Advanced gum disease may require additional treatment.

Why Are My Teeth Sensitive?

Why Are My Teeth Sensitive?

 

Tooth sensitivity is caused by the movement of fluid within tiny tubes located in the dentin (the layer of tissue found beneath the hard enamel that contains the inner pulp), which results in nerve irritation. When the hard enamel is worn down or gums have receded, causing the tiny tube surfaces to be exposed, pain can be caused by eating or drinking foods or hot or cold beverages, touching your teeth, or exposing them to cold air.

 

Exposed areas of the tooth can cause pain and even affect or change your eating, drinking, and breathing habits. Taking a spoonful of ice cream, for example, can be a painful experience for people with sensitive teeth. The excessive consumption of acid-containing foods and beverages, such as citrus juices and fruits and soft drinks, can also put you at risk for tooth sensitivity. Bulimia and acid reflux can also result in erosion of the hard enamel and sensitivity due to acid in the mouth.

 

Is tooth sensitivity a common condition?

 

Tooth sensitivity is one of the most common complaints among dental patients. At least 40 million adults in the United States suffer at some time from sensitive teeth.

 

How can I avoid sensitivity?

 

Some toothpastes contain abrasive ingredients that may be too harsh for people who have sensitive teeth. Ingredients found in some whitening toothpastes that lighten and/or remove certain stains from enamel and sodium pyrophosphate, the key ingredient in tartar-control toothpaste, may increase tooth sensitivity.

 

What can I do about sensitive teeth?

 

Tooth sensitivity can be reduced by using a desensitizing toothpaste; having your dentist apply sealants and other desensitizing and filling materials, including fluoride; and decreasing the intake of acid-containing foods. Using tartar-control toothpaste will sometimes cause teeth to be sensitive as well as drinking soft drinks throughout the day, so these habits should be avoided.

 

Avoid using hard-bristled toothbrushes and brushing your teeth too hard, which can wear down the tooth's surface and expose sensitive spots. The way to find out if you're brushing your teeth too hard is to take a good look at your toothbrush. If the bristles are pointing in multiple directions, you're brushing too hard.

 

How do I know when it's time to see a dentist?

 

If a tooth is highly sensitive for more than three or four days and reacts to hot and cold temperatures, it's best to get a diagnostic evaluation from your dentist to determine the extent of the problem. Before taking the situation into your own hands, an accurate diagnosis of tooth sensitivity is essential for effective treatment to eliminate pain. Because pain symptoms can be similar, some people might think that a tooth is sensitive, when instead, they actually have a cavity or abscess that's not yet visible.

 

 

Do some products help decrease sensitivity?

 

Toothpaste for sensitive teeth usually contains a desensitizing agent that protects the exposed dentin by blocking the tubes in the teeth that are connected to nerves. In most cases, these products must be used on a regular basis for at least a month before any therapeutic benefits may be noticed.

 

What can the dentist do for my sensitive teeth?

 

Dentists have a variety of regimens to manage tooth hypersensitivity, including both in-office treatments and patient-applied products for home use. If you are diagnosed with dentin hypersensitivity, your dentist may apply a desensitizing agent or a protective coating. You may be prescribed a stannous fluoride gel or an over-the-counter desensitizing toothpaste containing fluoride and either potassium nitrate or strontium chloride. These ingredients help block the transmission of sensation from the tooth to the nerve. It also might help to massage the special paste onto your gums with your finger after brushing.

 

What should I do after the dentist has applied a desensitizing agent?

 

Listen closely to your dentist's instructions. He or she may advise you not to eat or drink for a short period of time to eliminate all sources of irritation, such as acidic foods, medication, or flavored toothpastes. You may also be instructed to change oral hygiene habits that are likely to cause abrasion or use a daily fluoride application (a rinse or brush-on gel).