Periodontal disease is inflammation caused by an infection. It is a life time chronic disease that occurs in genetically susceptible individuals. Has anyone in your family had gum disease? Family history is very important! It is the most common disease in the United States and has a prevalence 50 to 70% of the population.
Do you know your numbers? If not, why not? Is the most important part of your dental examination being ignored? The only way to diagnose periodontal disease is to use a special ruler to measure pockets around your teeth. We check your numbers at every hygiene visit.
Periodontal disease is silent, usually there is no pain and can strike at anytime. It is not normal to bleed from your gums. If you do, you need to be examined.
It has been shown in recent studies to be associated with an increased risk for stroke and heart attack. There has been a recent discovery of a genetic link between Periodontal Disease and Heart Disease.