“I love my teeth and my smile. The work was done very softly and pleasant, and Dr. Gross and his team really cared and even worked on “odd” hours as I was a bit pushed for time leaving USA for Europe. Thank you Dr. Gross – Thank you Renee and the rest of the team – You are great!”

- Pernilla

Gum disease is a type of infection caused by your bodies’ reaction to the bacteria on the gums and teeth which have been allowed to multiply. These bacteria digest tiny food particles in the mouth and deposit acidic and toxic excretions on the teeth and gums.

This is known as plaque or biofilm at first, and it can be brushed and flossed away by daily dental hygiene. But if it’s allowed to stay in the mouth, it hardens into tartar, also called calculus, which cannot be brushed or flossed off. It has tiny sharp edges that irritate the gums and harbor bacteria which perpetuates the process. All of this can lead to what is called periodontal disease.

With periodontal disease, the gums become inflamed, swollen, and sore, and start bleeding when you brush. So the bacterial excretions can enter the bloodstream, travel to other parts of the body, and trigger chemical reactions. In the early stage of gum disease, called gingivitis, a good professional cleaning and some special care and monitoring can often take care of the problems. Many patients are under the impression that every six months is the standard of care. It is not the standard of care. Adults should see the hygienists every three months. The biofilm takes three months to form a large enough volume to cause the disease process to start doing damage. Every hygiene visit MUST include the probing and measuring of the gum tissue. This painless procedure will use consistent pressure and computerized technology to accurately and objectively record the health of the gum tissue.

In the later stage of gum disease, periodontitis, more aggressive treatment will be needed. Treatment is difficult then because a vicious cycle has been set up. The bacteria multiply, the gums pull back from enclosing the teeth, leaving little pockets, where more bacteria can live, multiply, and excrete, creating larger pockets, and so on. The disease process can spread beyond the teeth, gums, and even into the bone.

Research has actually proven that gum disease does not only affect the health of the teeth and gums. There are links between periodontal disease and the following very serious medical diseases and conditions, which, of course, affect your overall health and wellbeing:

• Diabetes

• Heart disease

• Cancers

• Alzheimer’s Disease

• Kidney disease

• Stroke

• Respiratory disease

• Pre-term, low birth weight babies


Symptoms of periodontal disease include:

• Red, bleeding gums

• Swollen gums

• Halitosis (bad breath)

• Gingival recession

• Deep pockets between teeth and gums

• Loose teeth

Taking good care of your teeth and gums is absolutely imperative to maintaining overall good general health and working to prevent serious medical conditions such as those listed above. Even if you have beautiful teeth, you can have gum disease, and you may not even be aware of the symptoms.

William L. Balanoff, DDS, MS, FICD