Find a Dentist..
|
| |
|
|
| OR |
|
|
|
|
Helpful Links and Information
|
|
|
|
|
For Patients - Dental Information |
Your dental health is directly related to your overall health. Numerous medical studies have shown that the presence of periodontitis (gum disease) increases the risk of major heart attack and stroke. Periodontitis has long been associated with: body weight index, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Periodontitis in pregnant women has also been shown to increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as pre-term birth and low birth weight in new born babies.
Dentists treat periodontal disease like physicians treat heart conditions. The time to treat a heart condition is not after the heart attack in the emergency room of the hospital; the time to treat is long before it happens. Treatment is based on patient risk factors. When a patient visits the physician, why is blood pressure taken? Why is weight taken? Why are cholesterol levels taken? These individual tests are done to evaluate the risks for a heart attack.
Similarly, why does the dentist/hygienist evaluate your gums? Why do they measure the pockets around the teeth? Why do they assess the bone levels of your teeth and take necessary x-rays? Each of these examinations is to assess the risks. When recognized, the dental team will manage those risk factors instead of waiting to treat the disease for which the patient is at risk. The dental team would recommend preventative oral care, smoking cessation, removal of plaque and calculus, and other therapies that will improve dental health and at the same time manage potential risk factors for systemic disease. Referral to their physician could also be important if the dental team discovers these systemic factors.
In the near future, when patients visit their physicians for routine check-ups, they will be referred to a Periodontist or a dentist for an examination if their blood work results indicate systemic problems. The earlier the disease is treated, the earlier it can be removed as a risk factor for systemic disease.
Be proactive – caring for your teeth means caring for your life. |
|