Horrible Dangers of Untreated Periodontal Disease

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Gum or periodontal disease is a common condition affecting millions of men and women all over the world. Studies even revealed that almost half of adults over 30 years old suffer from gum disease. Sadly, its symptoms are often unnoticed until you visit your dentist for a dental exam.

Your oral health is just one part of a larger system and even the smallest issues related to it can already affect your entire body. Failure to take care of your oral health can result in gum disease which can soon progress to different serious health conditions.

Continue reading to know more about gum disease to better understand its risks if it goes undetected and untreated:

The Onset of Periodontal Disease

Gum disease begins the moment tartar and plaques build up. These bacteria produce toxins that cause infection of the bone structure and gum tissues that lead to chronic inflammation and tooth loss.

Gum or periodontal disease is a common condition affecting millions of men and women all over the world.

Younger patients often don’t show any signs and symptoms of gum disease since the start of the infection tends to be painless most of the time. These symptoms only worsen and become more prevalent among adults aged 30 to 40 years old.

The most telltale signs of gum disease include the following:

Bad breath
Bleeding gums
Loose teeth
Pain when chewing
Receding gums
Inflamed or red gums
Sensitive teeth

It may initially start as gum inflammation or gingivitis without you knowing that it’s already the beginning of gum disease. Sadly, aside from the fact that the condition needs lifelong care, the only thing you can do is to manage it since there’s no way to reverse the problem.

To make things worse, gum disease is also found to trigger several life-threatening health issues including the following:

Alzheimer’s Disease

Periodontal disease is associated with an increased risk of a patient to develop Alzheimer’s disease. The bacteria found in gum disease called Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is also found in an Alzheimer’s patient’s brain.

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of neurodegenerative disease affecting millions of people across the globe. This starts with memory loss and worsens over time. The experts warned that prevention is critical to prevent complications such as Alzheimer’s disease since the bacteria from gum disease tends to spread throughout the body.

Diabetes

The presence of sugar is one of the things that make bacteria thrive and grow. The existence of high levels of glucose in the body results in the propagation of bacteria. This triggers the germs to attack the gums and teeth resulting in gingivitis. Gum disease, on the other hand, spikes blood sugar levels that can increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

But how does gum disease result in increased blood sugar levels? The bacteria infecting the gums will seep into the bloodstream and stir the immune system of the body. It puts the body in defence mode which triggers an increase in the levels of blood sugar to ward off the bacteria.

It’s difficult to control blood sugar levels among diabetics because chronic inflammation is linked with gum disease. Similarly, diabetes also makes it more difficult for the body to ward off infections like gum disease.

Your oral health is just one part of a larger system and even the smallest issues related to it can already affect your entire body.

Heart Disease

The ultimate enemy of the human body is none other than chronic inflammation. It becomes a serious concern once the body begins attacking healthy cells. It’s also the main reason why heart disease and gum disease are linked to each other.

Patients with poor oral hygiene are found to be three times more at risk of heart disease. Periodontal disease also has negative effects on hypertensive patients’ blood pressure and disturbs the effects of medications for hypertension. Gum disease can also increase the risk of a patient suffering from a heart attack.

Inflammation in the mouth has a direct connection to inflammation in the heart. On the brighter side, gum disease treatment is shown to lower the blood pressure of several patients, sparking hope for more studies regarding the connection between heart disease and gum disease.

Pneumonia

Chronic inflammation due to gum disease also affects other health conditions including asthma, COPD, and pneumonia. Gum infection is found to trigger the immune system and cause it to stay on high alert and ensure inflammation all over the body, including the lungs and airways.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or simply coronavirus is a type of infectious respiratory infection associated with a high mortality rate. In the case of patients with gum disease that causes chronic inflammation, they are more at risk of developing COVID-19 infection and experiencing its harsh complications.

For less serious cases of gum disease, the dentist removes the plaque that causes infection using the method known as scaling and root planning.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a type of bacteria found in both patients with rheumatoid arthritis and gum disease. This can trigger the inflammatory autoimmune response of the defence system of the body that makes the immune system proteins overactive, resulting in inflammation of the joints.

Recommended Treatment for Gum Disease

The specific stage of gum disease will help determine how effective its treatment will be. However, most of the time, the ultimate goal is to be in control of any infection and avoid more serious damage and effects.

Scaling and Root Planing

For less serious cases of gum disease, the dentist removes the plaque that causes infection using the method known as scaling and root planning. This is a method of deep cleaning that eliminates bacteria on the tooth root and from around the gum line.

Medications

Antimicrobial medications or antibiotics can often lessen the size of the gum pockets. You can get these in the form of pills, gels, mouth rinse, or small round particles that are directly placed in the pocket by your dentist.

Surgery

Surgery is often the last resort if both medication and deep cleaning don’t restore the good health of the infected gums. Two types of surgery are available. Flap surgery lifts the gum tissue to allow the dentist to clean below before suturing the tissue back in its place. Bone or gum graft surgery grafts bone or tissue from another area of the mouth onto the damaged portion of your jaw or gum.