Gum disease is one of the most common diseases affecting adults in America. Nearly 90% of adults have some form of gum disease, and this is dangerous. Gum disease is the leading cause of receding gums and tooth loss, but its effects go far beyond the mouth. If you have gum disease, you’re at increased risk for heart disease, including heart failure and strokes. It can also make it harder to treat diabetes.
Although traditional approaches to gum disease are limited, we now have a better way to fight gum disease: Perio Protect.
Why Your Average Hygiene Routine Is Not Good Enough
For some people, brushing and flossing is enough to keep gum disease at bay. But for other people, genetic factors put them at a greater risk for serious forms of the condition. And once gum disease gets started, it can be hard to reverse, partly because of the limitations of these traditional hygiene approaches.
Brushing can clean bacteria off most of the tooth, but it can’t get between your gums and has difficulty getting along the gum line. Flossing works well to clean between the teeth and get material along the gum line. Mouthwash can help attack bacteria, but it has difficulty penetrating the biofilm, the chemical blanket that bacteria wear to protect themselves. And mouthwash can actually damage gums, causing them to become irritated and dried out.
And regular dental visits may not be enough to supplement your daily care.
How Perio Protect Works
The basic principle of Perio Protect is that we can use a tray similar to a teeth whitening tray to deliver prescription medication to your teeth and gums. The tray prevents saliva from washing the medication away, ensuring maximum effectiveness.
Even more importantly, the Perio Protect trays ensure delivery of the medication to your periodontal pits. As gum disease develops, bacteria carve these pits into the gums around your teeth, which shelters them from brushing, flossing, and even saliva or mouthwashes. But with Perio Protect, the medications are able to penetrate the periodontal pits, eliminating bacteria and allowing your gums to heal. It’s a great alternative to root scaling and planing.
To learn whether Perio Protect can help you, please call (614) 848-5001 for an appointment with a Columbus, OH dentist.
