Dental & Medical Consequences

Introduction

75% of all adult tooth loss is due to periodontal disease. When your gums and bone are damaged by periodontal infection, there is less support for your teeth. As this support disappears, your teeth first become loose and then can be lost. When periodontal treatment is recommended, it is important to get started right away.

If the infection continues, you can start to lose your teeth one at a time. These lost teeth will have to be replaced with dental work, such as:

Bridges
Dental Implants
Partial Dentures
Full Dentures

If tooth loss continues, it can lead to dentures. Many patients don't understand the full consequences of wearing dentures. There can be many problems with dentures including:

Inability to eat certain foods
Lowered ability to feel and taste foods
Lisping or clacking when speaking
Bad breath or smell
Pain or discomfort
The look of dentures
Self-consciousness and embarrassment
Looking old
Taking your dentures out at night and soaking them
Your spouse seeing you without teeth at night

"People think of gum disease in terms of their teeth, but they don't think about the fact that gum disease is a serious infection that can release bacteria into the bloodstream"
Dr. Robert Genco, editor Journal of Periodontology

Periodontal disease is no longer thought of as just a dental problem. Research is finding many correlations between periodontal infection and serious medical problems, such as those listed below. To find out more details, click on the medical condition to link you to the American Academy of Periodontology position papers regarding these correlations.

Heart Disease & Stroke
Pre-Term Childbirth
Diabetes
Respiratory Disease
Osteoporosis

These correlations are particularly serious for those patients who are in a higher risk category such as:

Those having a personal or family history of:

Heart disease
Heart attack
Stroke
Premature childbirth
Diabetes
Respiratory diseases

Those having higher risk lifestyles, including:

Chronic stress
Smoker
Sedentary and overweight
Frequent colds, flu etc.

If you have been told you have periodontal infection (or have some of its symptoms), it is vital that you seek evaluation and treatment.