After hearing from yet another person who has gum recession and at least one implant and does not understand that the likely cause of her problem is gum disease, I thought I would write on this topic.  This is a deep and far reaching problem.  Most people suffer from a lack of understanding.

Who Gets Gum Disease?

Unfortunately,  MOST people have gum disease.  How can I dare to say that?  Just ask any professional in the dental care field, including dentists, periodontists, oral surgeons and even hygienists!  Most of them will tell you that up to 75% of people have some gum disease right now.   Seventy five percent means MOST people have it.

Most People Are Very Much Unaware!

The really sad part about all of this is that most people have no idea that they have it, nor would they believe you if you told them that they might.  Of course, you will want a good periodontist to verify the problem for you.  But considering the statistic above, what are the odds that you or someone in your family has this problem and doesn’t know it – yet?

What Is The Danger In A Little Gum Disease?

The next important point to burn into your mind is that gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss.  Remember the woman that I mentioned earlier?  Well, the number one possibility for her gum recession and implant are gum disease. She adamantly denies that as a possibility because her dentist never told her that was a problem.

Of course, you need a dental professional to make a diagnosis and tell you if you have it or not. But, do not take it for granted that just because your dentist never told you that you are free and clear.  Remember the 75% statistic above?  Well, part of the problem is that dental professionals are used to seeing it, to some degree, in the mouths of most of the people they work on.

There is a difference between you having it or not and if it is bad enough for them to take extra notice of.  The problem progresses over time and many professionals only bring it up when it is time for an advanced treatment!

What Is A Good Indicator?

That is a a very good question.  Instead of relying on some opinion, why not have something concrete to go by?   You can, just remember that you should always get your confirmation from a licensed professional.

What is your objective measure?  The term is called ‘pocket depths’ and you can have your dental care provider measure them on every visit.  Just ask, they should be doing it as part of your regular routine.  Many general dentistry offices skip over this step.  But if you ask they should be happy to do it for you.

You want to hear that your ‘pocket depths’ are three millimeters and below.  If they are above 3, then you might have a problem.  Again, your professional should confirm this for you.

What Can You Do About It?

You can always visit a periodontist, because this problem is their specialty.  You can also get more information from an excellent book entitled: What You Should Know about Gum Disease.  This book can help to fill in the gaps of your knowledge and awareness

A good oral irrigator, such as the hydrofloss may be helpful to you as well.   Oral irrigation is something that many dentists and dental hygienists suggest to their patients.  The HydroFloss is a particularly good irrigator.  It is surprising that relatively few people are aware of the power of this device.  But it is likely that more will learn about it in the future.

What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

Hopefully, this article has served to alert you to a problem that relatively few people are aware of.  If you can develop even a basic understand of this problem and what you can do to prevent or mitigate its effects, you may have a chance to enjoy your natural teeth for a lifetime and avoid expensive and advanced dental treatments.  Share this article with others and help to spread the word.