Gum or periodontal disease affects about one in three adults, and can lead to more serious ill health problems – one of many good reasons for a regular visit to the Chelsea Dental Clinic.
Problems indentified in studies have shown that gum disease contributes to heart, stroke, diabetic and pregnancy complications, as well as breathing problems and brain cell degeneration.
Gum disease symptoms include painful, bleeding, receding or infected gums, plaque formation, bad breath, loose teeth and toothache. What may start as a minor inconvenience, however it can quickly spread and become established in the mouth, gums and teeth.
Among the causes of gum disease are inadequate home dental care, not seeing your dentist or dental hygienist on a regular basis, a genetic history of periodontal disease and teeth loss, grinding and clinching your teeth leading to excessive wear and smoking.
If caught early it is very easily treated by a periodontal or gum specialist at the Chelsea Dental clinic, where minor problems such as cavities or chipped teeth, which can also lead to a risk of gum inflammation, can be quickly treated.
Gum disease can be avoided by a regular schedule of good home dental hygiene: brushing the teeth with the right toothbrush in the morning and before going to bed, and flossing before brushing at least once a day helps in cleaning away the small food particulars and bacteria from mouth, gums and teeth.
As a sensible safeguard, investing in an Affordable Dental Plan at the Chelsea practice will ensure that you can have the financial peace of mind to make a regular visit to your dental consultant part of your long-term health plan.
A Simple Checkup Can Beat Gum Disease
The importance of treating Gum Disease
Treating serious gum disease in people with diabetes mellitus can help to reduce high blood sugar levels, according to a new study.
The study carried out by an inter-university research team including the UCL Eastman Dental Institute and Peninsula Dental School, looked at previous research into the link between diabetes and serious gum disease.
The results showed that there is a small but potentially highly important benefit to treating periodontal disease in diabetic patients.
However, further research needs to be conducted in order to fully establish the link between the two conditions.
Currently, it is thought that dental inflammation, caused by bacteria infecting the mouth, results in chemical changes that reduce the overall effectiveness of insulin, thus leading to raised blood sugar levels.
Dental treatment to reduce oral inflammation may therefore help to lower bloody sugar levels. This means a decrease in the overall risk of contracting serious health complications associated with the condition, including heart disease and eye problems.
Prof Ian Needleman from the UCL Eastman Dental Institute called the research particularly timely because periodontal disease now affects at least 40 per cent of the UK population. And for people with diabetes the disease levels will be significantly higher.
He added: Furthermore levels of diabetes in the UK are rising rapidly and with higher prevalence amongst disadvantaged groups, periodontal health is an important priority both for prevention and treatment.
Whilst the most important aspect of insulin control in diabetes management is the use of drugs and diet, maintaining good dental health is something patients and healthcare professionals should also recognise, particularly because it is easy to treatĀ
The findings, which have been published as part of the international Cochrane Collaboration, highlight the need for doctors and dentists to work together in the treatment of diabetes.