Years ago,
periodontitis was the number one cause of adults losing their teeth. While detection
and treatment of periodontitis have dramatically improved over the years, those
treatments can be quite expensive. That’s why we recently included periodontal
probing as an annual part of our hygiene services.
Periodontitis is
essentially plaque and tartar buildup under your gums. When the tartar buildup
occurs under the gums, the bacteria within the tartar have a byproduct of acid
that causes degeneration of the supporting structures of the tooth. Unfortunately,
many dentists don’t include full mouth periodontal probing as part of their hygiene
services. So, many cases go undetected until the condition becomes serious.
One
out of every two American adults aged 30 and over has periodontal disease,
according to recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC). A study titled “Prevalence of Periodontitis in Adults in the United
States: 2009 and 2010” estimates
that 47.2 percent, or 64.7 million American adults, have mild, moderate or
severe periodontitis, the more advanced form of periodontal disease. In adults
65 and older, prevalence rates increase to 70.1 percent.
As a preventative
step, we recommend periodontal probing once a year. Periodontal probing
involves the dentist or dental hygienist examining six sites on each tooth.
This enables the dentist to detect a problem in its earliest stages when it’s
treatable with better brushing and flossing and other non-intrusive procedures.
If
it’s been a while since your last exam or if you are unsure if you’ve ever had
a check for periodontitis, please give us a call at 781-335-0604 to set up an
appointment.