Smiling in Good Health

Did you know that your periodontal health and overall health are very closely connected? Today, more and more research is identifying a link between gum disease and conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and a number of other systemic problems. At Stonewall Dental Associates we specialize in helping patients maintain optimal periodontal health to protect the integrity of their smiles and support whole-body wellness.

The statistics on the incidence of gum disease are surprisingly high. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every two adults over the age of 30 in the United States has periodontitis, an advanced form of periodontal disease. And, while physicians and dentists in the past considered medical conditions and gum disease as separate and unrelated, increasing associations between poor periodontal health and problems such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, adverse pregnancy outcomes, stroke diabetes, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis, as well as a host of other conditions are being found.

Although the exact cause and effect relationship between every medical disease and your periodontal health has yet to be defined, it’s believed that in addition to the risk of gum disease allowing the bacteria in the mouth to spread via the bloodstream throughout the body to produce health problems, moderate to advanced periodontal disease demonstrates a chronic inflammatory response that is similar to those seen in other diseases. By pursuing ongoing research on the nature of chronic inflammation, scientists are looking to establish more concrete links between the health of your gums and harmful medical conditions.

Whatever additional supporting evidence is found, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that taking care of your oral health not only helps you smile, speak, and chew with confidence and ease, but it also has far-reaching effects on whole-body wellness. By seeing a periodontist, who is specialty trained in all aspects of care for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of gum disease you can help protect the health of the tissues supporting your teeth as well as prevent any collateral damage to your overall well being.

At the office of Stonewall Dental Associates, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality of skilled and compassionate care. For more information on our office and the many services that we provide, give us a call today.