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Your Periodontist for Adelaide discusses gum ailments

At National Periodontics, we are Adelaide’s specialists in treating gum disease and ailments. With specialist qualifications in our area, we are able to create solutions for any and all ailments of the gums, with proper treatment, care, and surgical options.

This area of dentistry is highly specialised, and for good reason: your gums are unlike almost any other area on your body. They react differently from person to person, and their sensitivity means you must treat them differently. Misuse and ill-treatment can result in issues that can have a profound impact upon one’s quality of life.

Among gum ailments, periodontitis is among the most common. Periodontitis is essentially an extension of gingivitis, and occurs when bacterial elements from your mouth form a colony of bacteria below your gumline. Here, they irritate your gums, causing considerable redness, as well as bleeding – your body’s attempts to rid your gums of the infection. They also have direct access to the root of your teeth. This very often leads to problems with tooth loss and infection.

However, the dangers of periodontitis go beyond just tooth loss and inconvenience. They essentially function as an open sore: anything that enters your mouth has the potential to be transmitted directly to your bloodstream. There have been numerous cases whereby people have contracted serious illnesses through a set of porous gums after they have been compromised by periodontitis.

One of the lesser-understood links runs between periodontitis and heart health. Numerous studies have shown that people with gum disease are at considerably higher risk of heart disease. Research is ongoing.

However, there is a far better acknowledged link between periodontitis and stroke. Bacteria found in gum disease, Streptococcus sanguis, plays a direct role in the causation of strokes. With healthier gums, less of these bacteria occur in your bloodstream, and a lower risk of stroke.

To be plain, the risks of poor dental health go well beyond your teeth. To book a consultation at one of our clinics across Australia, or to enquire about our periodontal treatments in Adelaide and beyond, contact National Periodontics today.