Periodontics & Implantology Blog

Periodontal disease can be prevented through many different methods. There are three habits specifically that anyone can practice to prevent periodontal disease. 

Periodontal disease covers several diseases that all affect the gums. All of the diseases are caused by bacteria from plaque and tartar build up on the teeth. Luckily, when caught in the early stages and with proper care, most periodontal diseases can be managed. From at-home care to more advanced periodontal cleaning, there are many habits and methods to help prevent periodontal disease. 

Going to the dentist regularly for cleaning is crucial for oral health and helps prevent many problems associated with teeth and gums, such as cavities, gingivitis, and periodontitis. Periodontal cleaning can act as an extra step to preventing gum disease while providing a deeper clean.  

For many people, a problem in the mouth quickly becomes a source of stress, worry and sometimes pain. And that’s understandable, given what we now know about oral health and how that signifies other conditions in our bodies. Our mouths, filled with bacteria, are the gateway to other important parts, like the digestive and respiratory tracts. Generally, this bacteria is good, but without a good regimen of oral care - like brushing and flossing regularly - the bad bacteria that is in the mix can quickly overwhelm our health. 

Loose teeth are a sign that something has gotten out of whack in the mouth. Good healthy gums and bones have a tight grip on the teeth that are anchored there. When those gums start to let go, it’s an urgent call to action - something that should be dealt with immediately. After all, your adult teeth are meant to last your lifetime. Let’s take a look at some of the things that can cause loose teeth.

In recent years, dental emergencies have constituted around 2.1 million of the nation’s emergency room visits. Periodontal health struggles are a silent epidemic; so many are affected, yet so few are talking about it. We don’t want you to suffer in silence any longer, so we’re stepping up to the plate. Let’s talk about the hard stuff, like why so many people neglect their dental health, what the consequences are and how you can turn things around when they’ve gone too far.

According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 30 percent of the U.S. population is moderately or severely impacted by gum disease. Unfortunately, serious gum disease has been directly linked to tooth loss and the need for dentures. This impacts all of us by increasing the costs of healthcare - a burden we all bear indirectly. And you might find it interesting to learn that your gender does make a difference: Fifty-seven percent of males, compared to 39 percent of females, are likely to have moderate to serious periodontal disease.

It seems like the whole world has spent the last year dealing with the virus known as Covid-19. Some places are more familiar with dealing with what we now know is a pandemic, but for many of us, this is our first foray into the terrifying world of an unknown and easily transmittable - and deadly - disease. We’ve learned a lot over the last year. And some of what we have learned has to do with how our bodies handle and react to a disease caused by a virus like Covid-19. We’ve always known that healthier bodies with strong immune systems are more likely to fight and win a battle against a foreign invader like a virus, but did you know that the state of your oral health plays a major part in the health of your body?

There is nothing better than a pretty, healthy smile. It can boost your confidence, help your overall health and relieve stress. Did you know that frowning uses more muscles and physical exertion than smiling? Even better, when you smile, your body releases serotonin which can help you feel happy, is a natural mood lifter and antidepressant. Smiling can also boost your immunities, help relieve pain and aid in the crippling effects of anxiety.

There are a lot of reasons to be on top of your oral health — and especially your gum health. The obvious reason is that, as you get older, you become more and more vulnerable to periodontitis. This is an advanced gum disease that can cause bone and tissue deterioration and, if left untreated, tooth loss. You become more vulnerable to periodontitis with age; according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, an estimated 1 in 7 adults between the ages of 35 and 44 have some form of gum disease, and that amount rises to 1 in 4 adults by the time you reach the age of 65. In fact, the American Academy of Periodontology has stated that 20 to 30 percent of adults have gum disease that puts them at risk of tooth loss. To sum it up: gum disease is no joke!

This is a good question and one that you should investigate before making the sizable investment of dental implants.  Not everyone’s results are the same, so consulting with your dental professional and diagnosing your particular needs are necessary when making important decisions about your dental health.

Modern dental implants have been a successful option for over 30 years.  They are the strongest devices available to support replacement teeth – and even better, they allow these new teeth to feel, look and function naturally.

Paired with the proper dental implant surgery, performed by an experienced dental implant professional, and a daily regimen of adequate flossing and brushing, your implant can potentially last a lifetime. With normal wear and tear, a crown or replacement tooth may last for about 10-15 years.  Excellent dental hygiene could extend this beyond 15 years.

Gum Recession is a bigger problem than most people think. A startling 88% of people age 65 and older have receding gums, and left untreated, there can be severe consequences. Gum recession happens when your gums become infected and start to pull back from your teeth. Maybe this sounds like a minor issue at first, but eventually your gums will expose your tooth’s roots, which leaves you dangerously vulnerable to infection and can even lead to tooth loss. Even scarier, is in most cases when gum tissue has pulled back and receded from around teeth, gums do not grow back.  But it’s not all bad news; you can stop and gum recession, but to do that, you have to know what to look for. For that you’ll find a few tips below. For more advanced dental care needs you may need our professional help with a scaling and root planing procedure.

Gum recession has very subtle signs. In fact, the signs are so innocuous that they often go unnoticed, so it’s important to be vigilant; catching on early can mean the difference between successful or unsuccessful recovery.

A large number of Americans are getting dental implants and that number is only growing with each year. While implants offer many solutions to periodontal complications and tooth damage, they also present the possibility for further gum-health issues. That means that if you’re going to get implants, you cannot slack off on your dental hygiene; in fact, you must be even more diligent about keeping your mouth clean and bacteria free. 

You’re going to want to listen to us about this one — if you start to get lazy about your implant maintenance, you might leave yourself vulnerable to peri-implantitis. And yes, this infection is every bit as scary as its name makes it sound — it’s basically a big word for something that you never, ever want to happen to you. Peri-implantitis is an infection that causes inflammation in the gums around your dental implant and could lead to implant failure. If you’re thinking to yourself, “that could never happen to me,” you’re sadly mistaken. The truth is that this infection affects about 43% of those with implants. We know that you don’t want to be a part of that statistic, and you won’t be if you take the proper steps to keep your implants clean.

There is good news: cleaning your dental implants is not so different from cleaning your natural teeth. You’ve already had a life’s worth of practice — you brush your teeth every day! You’re already the expert at keeping your teeth clean, and it only takes a few extra steps to keep your implants clean. A small amount of extra effort toward your dental routine can go a long way toward ensuring the longevity and effectiveness of your dental implants. 

In today’s day and age of health and wellness, we tend to be more concerned about our mental and physical well-being, completely dismissing our dental health.  Did you know that both gingivitis and periodontitis have been shown to raise your risk of illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, pneumonia, and cancer?  Understanding the symptoms and receiving proper treatment will help decrease those risks and result in overall better health.

Is there a link between gum disease and Alzheimer’s? Can taking care of your gums and teeth also help protect your brain?  Studies show that there is a modest connection, but researchers are being cautiously optimistic before making conclusive statements.

As Alzheimer’s afflicts millions of our loved ones - more than 3 million US cases per year, many of us try to understand why and how this happens.  New research has found a link between gum disease, dementia and the bacterium found in both infected gums and brain tissue of Alzheimer’s patients.

A study published last year in the journal Science Advances, found that people with chronic gum disease for 10 years or more had a 70 percent higher risk of Alzheimer’s than those without gum disease.

It seems like every day the public gets bombarded with tips and suggestions on how to be healthier. And sometimes, just when you’ve gotten into a new “healthier” regimen, the news comes out that new studies suggest that particular regimen isn’t so healthy after all! So, when your dental professional tells you that good oral hygiene is important to your health, you may be asking why.

Many people believe that dental work is painful, but with today’s technology and knowledge, beneficial dental work will most likely cause only minor discomfort, in most cases. At San Antonio Periodontics & Implants, our staff is trained to be gentle and to make sure your experience with us is as comfortable as possible.

Scaling and root planing, while sounding a little scary, is actually a very beneficial procedure that can help you keep your teeth is the best of shape. Scaling and root planing is not a surgical procedure, but more of a deep cleaning that is necessary when harmful bacteria-caused plaque begins to threaten your healthy teeth and gums.

Nobody really wants to hear that they need dental surgery. And when the surgery is associated with correcting things with scary-sounding names, like gingivitis and periodontitis, it can be even worse. 

At San Antonio Periodontics and Implants, we understand that the prospect of surgery can be scary. Our professional staff, Dr. Steven Maller and Dr. William Stalker, are experienced and caring. You’ll find that we can make your experience with dental surgery a less scary idea.

We’ve all had an encounter with bad breath. You’re in class or at work, and somebody gets too close for comfort as they’re talking to you. As their face inches toward yours, you can just feel the warm air rolling from their mouth. You can barely stop from flinching at the scent. What do you do? Just take the nasal beating or risk being rude to move away? Nobody likes to talk to somebody with bad breath, and many people who suffer from this affliction may not even realize that they have it. You could be assaulting the nostrils of your friends and family without even realizing it! Luckily, we here at San Antonio Periodontics & Implant have all the information you need to be sure you never unwittingly stink up a conversation.

Gingivitis is a periodontal disease caused by the inflammation of the gums. There are two types of gingivitis: dental plaque-induced gingival disease and non-plaque induced gingival disease. When left untreated, gingivitis can lead to periodontitis, a more serious infection that can lead to tooth loss.

Many people don’t realize that medications, whether they are over-the-counter drugs or prescription treatments, can take a toll on their teeth. A lot of medications include symptoms that are damaging to your oral health such as dry mouth, oral thrush, burning mouth syndrome, and various gum issues. What is even more threatening is if you are taking more than one type of medication, it can be much harder to pinpoint the exact source of the problem.

We get it. Going to the periodontist isn’t your favorite thing to do. Between balancing work, family, school and so on, making a periodontist appointment may be the last thing on your mind. You have to sit back in a chair with all of these foreign tools prodding your mouth, wait for the assistant to take her hands out of your mouth to answer a question and by the way, what does that tooth numbering system on the assistant’s computer even mean? At San Antonio Periodontics and Implants, we can promise that the benefits of our routine checkups far outweigh any concerns or hesitations for going in for a checkup. Your oral health is important to us, and we want to help you maintain a beautiful, healthy smile.