Periodontics Team in Elgin Ask: What’s in Your Dental Pockets?

There’s evidence that periodontal disease may be a risk factor for dementia through bacterial and viral infections commonly found with periodontal disease. Our periodontics team in Elgin is concerned about whether you’ve had your gum tissues professionally examined recently. Do you experience any bleeding when brushing or flossing? Are your gums puffy? Sensitive?

Periodontal infections can result in elevating the systemic inflammatory response in your body. Science has been indicating this may contribute to existing brain and vascular system weaknesses that negatively affect brain function. Timely treatment of periodontal infections that reduce oral pathogens would also then reduce the risk of a systemic infection and inflammation. Is this really possible? In short, yes. Dr. Lodding’s Smile for Life Dental team is expertly prepared to do just that!

Is fighting Alzheimer’s not your concern? What about diabetes? It’s recognized that diabetes predisposes oral tissues to greater periodontal destruction, making it more likely such an individual will struggle to maintain good oral health. Interestingly though, more recent studies have now identified untreated periodontal disease as having an adverse effect on glycemic control!

Although diabetes is a metabolic disorder and periodontitis is an infectious disease, the relationship occurs through the ability of both conditions to induce an inflammatory response leading to the production of inflammatory mediators. These impair the glucose-stimulated release of insulin from the pancreas. Periodontal therapy, on the other hand, can stabilize glycemic control and reduce complications from unstable blood sugar levels. (Such findings were published by the Oral Health & Dental Practice Management dental journal, December 2010.)

The Smile for Life Dental periodontics team in Elgin can illuminate anything scary that may be hiding in your gum’s tissue pockets and treat it before it treats you to a disaster! Make your appointment today!