Gum Disease/Periodontal Disease

Some form of gum and bone disease is present in most adult mouths.

Periodontal disease is unrecognized because the condition is generally painless and slow in progression. Symptoms include red, inflamed gums, which bleed easily with brushing and flossing, bad breath and teeth becoming loose as condition worsens.

The supporting structures of the teeth including the gums and bone are termed Periodontium.

Gum and bone breakdown begins at the gum line with gingivitis and progresses to the more severe periodontitis. When oral hygiene is neglected and poor over all health is encountered, gum disease begins.

Gingivitis is a mild inflammation of the gum tissue when food deposits, dental plaque or the more calcified calculus are allowed to remain on the teeth.

Periodontitis is when food deposits, plaque and calculus continue to remain on the teeth, over time the bone begins to degenerate. This condition is termed Periodontitis.

As bone surrounding the root degenerates, teeth loosen, drift, migrate eventually leading to the loss of tooth. Proper treatment can still save most teeth.

Gum Disease Treatment Alternatives:

The success of conservative gum disease treatments rests on significant coordination and cooperation between the patient and the dental professional. Periodontal health can be stabilized with conservative treatment alone but in some cases the more invasive conventional therapy is required.

Conventional Periodontal Therapy is usually surgical. It involves gently lifting away the gum tissue from the affected teeth, removing and root planing the calcified calculus, re contouring the irregularities on the root and bone surfaces and carefully placing back and securing the reflected tissue. After a healing period and maintenance of good oral hygiene, the periodontal condition can be improved or stabilized.

Prevention of gingival and periodontal disease only requires optimal oral hygiene practices, healthy diet and a restriction on tobacco and alcohol use.

Maintenance of periodontal health may require more frequent dental hygiene visits and adherence to individual hygiene recommendations made to you by the dental professional.

Oral Health is Important to Overall Health Maintenance. Let Smile Artistry, a trusted dentist in Chino, help you achieve your best smile yet!

Visit wwwsmileartistrychino.com for additional information

Sjogren's Syndrome causes Dry Mouth

Sjogren's syndrome ( sho' grins ) is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks its own body.  This attack causes inflammation that may cause destruction of tissues and impair their function.

In Sjogrens, salivary and tear glands are the major targets of attack which results in reduced production or saliva and tears.  The lack of saliva causes difficulties with speech, swallowing, extreme tooth decay, oral sores and fungal infections.

Many Sjogren syndrome sufferers also experience debilitating fatigue.  Blood tests show presence of autoantibodies.  Antibobies are substances produced by the immune system of the body to defend against foreign material including bacteria and viruses

Diagnosis is based on  combination of subjective and objective symptoms including dry mouth, presence of autoantibodies and inflammation infiltrate in the salivary glands.

Sjogrens syndrome impacts 1-4 million in the US and is the most common autoimmune disease after rheumatoid arthritis. Sjogren's syndrome affects people over 50 years  and women affected out number men by 9-1.

"Treatment is generally symptomatic and patients often find a way of working around it by regular hydration, regular dental visits with flouride supplements" says Dr. Cherukuri from her Chino, California dental practice.