Dental Gum Health

The Reality of Missing Teeth

The number one cause of missing teeth is not decay! Most people assume that’s the reason, but gum disease is the most common culprit. Symptoms may not be present up until the point of losing your teeth. When it’s treated in the early stages, nonsurgical methods often work well. If left untreated until the infection is in the advanced stages, surgery may be the only option.

Gum Disease Has an Effect on More Than Your Teeth
Medical research has identified a link between gum infection and life-threatening conditions like stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. Dentists now consider gum disease a more serious matter than just losing your teeth. The bacteria occupying the gum tissue travel throughout the bloodstream into other vital organs, causing other potential health problems.

As the American Dental Association estimates that 80% of the American population has some level of gum disease, this problem is now considered an epidemic. The American Academy of Periodontology reports, “studies found periodontal infection may contribute to the development of heart disease, increase the risk of premature, underweight births, and pose a serious threat to people whose health is already compromised due to diabetes and respiratory diseases.”

Delano Dental 
Mark Madden, DDS 
Timothy Roth, DDS 
707 Elm Avenue East 
Delano, MN 55328 
(763) 237-3703 
DelanoDental.com