Lightfoot Center for Laser Periodontics Blog

November is Diabetes Awareness Month to bring attention to the disease and the millions of people affected by it. We’d like to join this effort from the perspective of your oral health.

Like other diseases linked to periodontitis, diabetes is both a cause and effect of gum disease. This bi-directional relationship presents a tricky approach to the treatment options available to those patients suffering from both. However, hope is not lost. There are things you can do to prevent them, and modern advancements in periodontal care have made it much easier to treat severe cases of gum disease more effectively, and with less pain.

There are many reasons we can come up with to skip out on going to the dentist regularly (or even at all). Not many people go to the orthodontist’s office because they want to. It can be uncomfortable, inconvenient, costly…the list goes on. Nevertheless, time waits for no one. Sooner or later we all have to face the music if we want our teeth to be healthy; and sooner is always preferable to later. It’s no secret that if you stay on top of your oral hygiene, trips to the dentist can be less frequent and more pleasant. Here’s three of the most common excuses we use to talk ourselves out of it (and why you need to get your mind out of that gutter!)

Your mouth can be home to a myriad of different bacteria; however, the average person’s mouth hosts only about 10% or less of these strains. Of those, a much smaller amount could be considered harmful bacteria, or bacteria which can eventually lead to gum disease.

If a harmful bacteria strain does make a home in your oral cavity, conditions such as gingivitis and periodontitis can arise. While usually relatively easy to treat (with only severe cases needing surgery), there is another, lesser-known side effect of gum disease that can be life threatening.

Growing evidence continues to suggest a link between gum disease and heart disease (as well as other diseases such as diabetes and colon cancer).

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease of bacterial origin. Recently, the Colgate Oral and Dental Health Resource Centre, along with Columbia University, phrased periodontitis and gum disease(s) as "infections of the structures around teeth." These structures most often include the gums themselves.

Continued research and hypotheses continue to show a link between gum disease and heart disease.

Although each person only holds 30 to 80 at a given time, your mouth can house over 700 different strains of bacteria. Most of these microscopic critters are harmless, however, there are a few that can harm your health that you should be aware of.

Let’s take a look at a couple.

Sometimes it’s a little difficult to know if you need dental help. Some signs are more subtle and hard to spot, but if they’re noticed early, they can save unneeded stress, time, and money. Here are four things to look out for when caring for your own teeth. Speak to your periodontist if you have any concerns about your gum health or oral health. Our location in Hingham, MA is ready to lend a hand with a wide range of periodontal services including gum disease treatment and dental implant surgery with the latest non-invasive, laser procedures: LANAP® and LAPIP®.