Periodontal therapy is the removal of tarter or calculus along the gum line and on the root surface of teeth. This removal can only be done by a dentist or hygienist. The treatment, when needed, is called root planning and scaling. A local anesthetic may be administered during these procedures. Your dentist may also administer antibiotics to treat the bacteria housed in the pocketed areas of the gums. Sometimes home care includes a disinfecting mouthwash, such as chlorine dioxide or chlorhexidine. If inflammation is local and is only present in a few sites along with very small pockets, then the treatment cost is much less than if the bone loss is generalized and is great around most of the teeth.

In some cases surgery is also needed to remove the diseased tissue and create an environment that will respond to home care. Periodontal flap surgery is performed to decrease the pocket depth along the tooth. If the bone around the tooth has a pocket defect housing bacteria and contributing to this disease, the bone may be reshaped through bone surgery to eliminate the defect and help prevent future re-colonization of bacteria growth.

A study in the Journal of Periodontology (JOP) found that the prevention of periodontal disease helps save money not only in dental costs but in medical care costs.  Since this oral disease has been connected with other health condition such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, respiratory problems and recently colon cancer, it makes sense to prevent periodontal disease.

The JOP study in Japan examined 4,285 people over a 3.5 year period to ascertain the costs of periodontal disease (PD) on medical and dental health. The examined patients were between 40 and 59 years old. Researchers show that cumulative health care costs were 21% higher for those patients with severe PD than those with no PD. The result shows that the patients with severe PD have much higher expenses than patients without periodontal issues.

One simple way to reduce total health care costs is to treat this gum disease. When caught early, periodontal diseases can be treated using simple non-surgical techniques which can restore your mouth to a healthy state.

Fees to remove damaged or inflamed gum tissue and contour the remaining gum surface run from $250-$500 per quadrant. A quadrant is either the upper right, lower right, upper left or lower left side of the mouth. This equates to approximately $1200 - $2000 or more for the whole mouth. Tissue regeneration or tissue grafts to replace receding gums start around $500-$1000 for a single procedure in one specific area. The extent of the gum tissue damage in your mouth will determine the number of procedures or visits required.

A lot depends on the specific work needed. Treatment for gum disease usually begins with a periodontal diagnosis exam and x-rays which can add an additional $150 -$400, if not included in the total fee. A full mouth debridement – cleaning away excess buildup so the gums and bones are visible and can be evaluated – can cost $75 -$150 or more. This is sometimes needed for new patients who have not had dental treatment for quite awhile. While most dental insurance covers exams and x-rays, they usually do not cover debridement. Periodontal maintenance procedures, when needed, can cost $150 -$250 per visit.

Research shows that the money spent in the prevention of periodontal disease is better than the money spent for the treatment. And don’t forget, if you prevented one systemic disease or one trip to the emergency room (let’s say from diabetes), the cost of taking care of your mouth is minimal compared to the cost to your health. It also is minimal if it prevents your loved ones anguish due to you contracting cancer or heart disease from your periodontal disease.

There are many causes of oral cancer – unhealthy diets rich in sugars, poor diets, large consumption of tobacco, heavy alcohol consumption and heredity. In addition, there are different types of oral cancers – lip, tongue and really anywhere in the mouth. Tongue cancer is the most common and the most dangerous. The chance of this disease is high in men who over age 60, less in those below 40 years of age and less in women.

In the primary stages of tongue cancer, a small lump or thick white patch appears on the tongue and later is converted into an ulcer. If it is not treated properly, the cancer spreads to other places in the mouth, such as gums, lower jaw, lymph nodes and neck. When the tumor enlarges the tongue also becomes more rigid and the ability for the movement of the tongue is reduced. The tumor may also affect speech and swallowing.

The common symptoms of oral cancer are patches inside the mouth, lips that are white, lips that are both red and white, a sore on lip or in the mouth that won’t heal, bleeding in the mouth, difficulty in swallowing, a lump in the neck, or loose teeth.

The treatment methods for oral cancers are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The combination of treatments may vary depending on the patient’s stage. A pain relieving treatment is recommended for patients to decrease the side effects.

Surgery is used to remove the tumor in the mouth. This is the standard treatment for oral cancer. Radiation therapy is also an essential method of treatment. This is given only in the affected area. This treatment is given for those who have small tumors and surgery is not indicated. Radiation may be used before or after surgery to kill the cancer cells.

There are two types of radiation therapy used to treat oral cancer – external radiation and internal radiation. In external radiation the radiation comes from a machine. In internal radiation the radiation comes from radioactive material placed in seeds, needles or thin plastic tubes put directly in the tissue. Chemotherapy is another method of treatment. In this method, anticancer drugs are used to kill cancer cells.

Periodontal disease is a chronic infectious inflammation around the tooth and gums. Signs of periodontal disease are: bad breath that won’t go away, red or swollen gums, tender or bleeding gums, painful chewing, loose teeth or sensitive teeth. Although late stages of periodontal disease show signs, early stages do not, so regular six month visits to the dentist are recommended. Causes of periodontal disease are poor oral hygiene, smoking, some medications, some illnesses and genetic susceptibility.

In a recent study, the gum disease periodontitis was associated with an increased risk of developing tongue cancer. Dr. Mine Terzal, from the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine in New York, and colleagues compared 51 white men with newly diagnosed cancer of the tongue to 54 cancer-free “controls” who were seen during the same period. The study excluded people younger than 21 years, those who lacked teeth, had any previous malignancy, and those with a weaken immune system.

The Archives of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery reported that each millimeter reduction in bone was associated with a 5-fold rise in the risk of tongue cancer.

“Periodontitis is a chronic disease that progresses very slowly,” Dr. Terzal noted. “Seeing alveolar bone loss on X-rays indicates the infection has existed for decades, making it clear that periodontitis preceded the cancer diagnosis, and not vice-versa.”

Periodic self-examination of your mouth is the best way to detect the early signs of oral and throat cancer. Cleaning your teeth at least 2 times a day and visiting the dentist 2-3 time a year are recommended for good oral hygiene and decreasing the risk of periodontal disease. Since the studies concluded that there is a strong relationship between periodontal diseases and oral cancer, decreasing the risk of periodontal disease will also decrease the risk of tongue cancer.

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• Renal cell carcinomas comprise about 85% of kidney cancers. This cancer grows within the kidney’s microscopic filtering systems, in the lining of tiny tubules.
• Transitional cell carcinoma starts in the place of the kidney where urine accumulates before being funneled to the bladder. This type of kidney cancer is the same as bladder cancer, so both are treated in same way.
• Wilms’ tumor is mostly found in children. The treatment is different from adult kidney cancer.

The common symptoms of kidney cancer are blood in the urine, weight loss and fever, a pain in the side that doesn’t go away, loss of appetite, weight loss for no known reason and anemia. This disease is difficult to detect because this cancer does not show noticeable symptoms in the earliest stages. The major reason for kidney cancer is smoking cigarettes. Exposure of toxic metals such as cadmium, asbestos and lead materials also increase the chance of kidney cancer. The common medical factors of kidney cancer are chronic kidney complaint, obesity and diabetes.

Periodontal disease is a debilitating form of gum disease. Our mouth contains a hundreds of species of bacteria. Most of the bacteria are not harmful to humans but some are harmful to our teeth, gums and entire body. The bacteria form a biofilm called plaque. We can remove plaque by brushing and flossing. If the plaque is not removed frequently it becomes harder and forms calculus or tartar. It is very hard and cannot be removed by normal brushing and flossing. Only cleaning our teeth in a professional way helps you to remove tartar. If the tartar and plaque are not removed properly they are very detrimental to one’s health. They affect the gums by causing Gingivitis. This is the onset of periodontal disease.

The symptoms of gum disease are bad breath that does not go away, red gums, bleeding gums, painful chewing, loose teeth and sensitive teeth. The first treatment for gum disease is to control the infection. Scaling and root planing are the two methods used by the dentist, periodontist or hygienist. These techniques are designed to remove tartar below the gum line and between the teeth and detoxify the root surface. The surgical treatments of periodontal disease are flap surgery and bone and tissue grafts. Flap surgery is used to remove tartar from teeth. During this treatment the gums are lifted back and the tartar is removed. The other method of treatment is bone and tissue grafts. In this method the bone or gum tissue is replaced, but results are unpredictable.

There is a strong link between periodontal disease and kidney cancer, a recent research report in the prestigious journal, Lancet Oncology, confirmed that gum disease increases the risk of kidney cancer by around 50%. For reducing the risk of gum disease, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day and visiting your dentist regularly. If you have periodontal disease, you should be seeing your dentist every three months instead of every six months. New approaches to plaque removal consist of power washing with a brushless system (Dental Air Force®) that requires no flossing, yet removes the bacteria producing plaque between teeth and around the gums.

In order to reduce the risk of kidney cancer (and other systemic diseases), it is wise to be vigilant in keeping your teeth clean and treating any periodontal disease.

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Want to learn more on how to have a white and healthy smile and manage periodontal disease? I have designed and developed a home dental cleaning system that uses the technology of the professional Prophy-Jet to power wash between your teeth and around the gum line. Visit www.dentalairforce.com               Dr. Piero

The treatment of periodontal disease begins with the removal of sub-gingival calculus (tartar). This is commonly addressed by the surgical procedures known as root planing and scaling. These procedures debride calculus by mechanically scraping it from tooth surfaces. Dental calculus, commonly known as tartar, consists almost entirely of calcium phosphate salt, the ionic derivative of calcium phosphate (the primary composition of teeth and bone). Clinically, calculus stuck to teeth appears to be hardened to the point requiring mechanical scraping for removal.

Prostatitis is a disease that affects one’s prostate gland and that can result in pain during urination, significant groin discomfort, abdominal pain, lower back pain, discomfort in the perineum, and penile and testicular pain as well. Prostatitis is also associated with the onset of a high fever, gastrointestinal difficulties, and chills in some cases too. Prostatitis is difficult to diagnose and treat, and has a wide range of debilitating and troublesome side affects. Unlike prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis often affects the lives of young and middle-aged men.

The general causes cited for the onset of prostatitis include immune system difficulties, disorders of the nervous system, emotional stress, injury to the prostate, and infection. Now, recent research published in the Journal of Periodontology suggests that there is a significant connection between periodontitis and prostatitis.

Studies done at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospitals Case Medical Center showed results from a small group that inflammation from periodontal disease and prostate problems  may be linked. They discuss their new evidence in the Journal of Periodontology, the official journal of the American Academy of Periodontology. The researchers compared two markers: the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) used to measure inflammation levels in prostate disease, and clinical attachment level (CAL) of the gums and teeth, which can be an indicator for periodontitis. The researchers compared two markers: the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) used to measure inflammation levels in prostate disease, and clinical attachment level (CAL) of the gums and teeth, which can be an indicator for periodontitis.
A PSA elevation of 4.0 ng/ml in the blood can be a sign of inflammation or malignancy. Patients with healthy prostate glands have lower than 4.0ng/ml levels. A CAL number greater than 2.7 mm indicates periodontitis. Like prostatitis, periodontitis also produces high inflammation levels. The testing for periodontitis involved a full examination of the condition of the gums, a check for bleeding of the gums, and for signs of gingival inflammation. The end result of the study found that the men that had both prostatitis and periodontitis had significantly higher PSA levels than those men that either had prostatitis or periodontitis alone. In essence, research has now revealed that when a man has periodontal disease he can worsen a condition like prostatitis and that gum disease contributes to the severity of prostatitis.

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Want to learn more on how to have a white and healthy smile and manage periodontal disease? I have designed and developed a home dental cleaning system that uses the technology of the professional Prophy-Jet to power wash between your teeth and around the gum line. Visit www.dentalairforce.com               Dr. Piero

The biofilm in the mouth is among the most complex because it inhabits a live organism. There is a hierarchy of bugs that create the biofilm which gets more and more complex. The complexity of what is happening in the mouth and its effect on the whole body can not be over exaggerated. The bacteria in the biofilms attach themselves to the hard and soft tissues like a grappling hook and imbed filaments that anchor the entire mass to the host. They then form layers upon layers of different species of organisms that form the foundation for an intricate network of communication and transportation systems. Highways are formed bringing nutrients in and excrement out; chemical communications in and chemical communications out. Bugs are communicating with each other and speak many different languages, even languages of different species of bugs. This is like dogs talking to fish, not like Americans talking to Chinese. They also share and swap genes with each other – an amazing feat, that proves reality is stranger than fiction.

The body is recognizing the biofilm in the mouth as infection. The infection is contagious and communicable. It’s the body’s defense mechanism to the infection that sets off the battle between the host and the bugs.

Cytokines are the byproduct of the battle. They are emitted from blood cells attacking the pathogenetic bacteria in the biofilm. They are used by the body as pseudo hormones or chemical mediators. They tell the body to manufacture more blood cells. These blood cells are called macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils and others.

In the presence of infection, the blood cells (that are racing around looking for infections) release the cytokines and tell the body to manufacture more blood cells. So this is what is stressing out the body. Unfortunately, these cytokines inflame all the internal lumens of arteries and are responsible for a cascade effect for many systemic diseases, such as heart disease, cerebral vascular disease, diabetes, pancreatic cancer, respiratory diseases, oral and throat cancer, lung cancer, prostatitis, erectile dysfunction, children with low birth weight, breast cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome and most recently osteoporosis. These cytokines interact with the whole body’s system causing inflammatory immune response (STRESS).

Professional dental cleanings strip the biofilm in the mouth, similar to cutting down a forest. In literally hours, the biofilm is trying to reorganize. Left unchecked, the new biofilm (forest) is reorganized (re-grown) in seventy days. Microscopic destruction occurs within a week. Ten times the amount of damage to the body is done between the third to the sixth month after a cleaning versus the first to the third month after a cleaning. That is why three month professional dental cleanings are so important. The cleanings gets rid of the biofilm, gets rid of the inflammatory process and gets rid of the cytokines, which is taxing the entire system (STRESS).

Professional cleanings will not do it on its own. Three dimensional home cleaning (around each tooth) is essential to maintaining low levels of inflammatory response.

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Want to learn more on how to have a white and healthy smile and manage periodontal disease? I have designed and developed a home dental cleaning system that uses the technology of the professional Prophy-Jet to power wash between your teeth and around the gum line. Visit www.dentalairforce.com               Dr. Piero

Over 3000 women between the ages of 30-40 years were part of a 16 year randomized study. “Of the subjects with periodontal disease and any missing molars in the mandible 5.5% had breast cancer in comparison to 0.5% of the subjects who had periodontal disease but no missing molars,” the study reported. Missing molars are a sign of long term periodontal issues. (Read more details on the study at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20960226)

One explanation is that the bacteria, in periodontal disease, infects the entire blood supply of these advanced periodontal patients. This infection then sets off viral infections, referred to as “co-infections”. These other infections cause the body to use all its immune response to fight the co-infections, leaving a suppressed immune system to fight off the cancer – in other words, too weak to fight anymore.

This information will not be a surprise for those in the medical field who have long known that periodontal disease affects the whole body. Other studies have shown that the bacteria found in periodontal disease are also linked to heart disease, diabetes, pneumonia, stroke, prostate disease, low birth weights in infants and indeed other cancers (pancreatic, kidney, lung and white blood cell).

It is important that everyone take care of their oral health and more so for those that are prone to any of the systemic diseases or have a family history of cancer. Diligent twice-daily cleanings should be a normal part of a person’s health care. The Dental Air Force offers an effective way to combine tooth brushing and flossing that removes 60% more bacteria in between teeth and around the gums than an electric tooth brush. Regular six month professional visits to the dentist are also important. And if the patient has periodontal disease, those visits should increase to every three months for periodontal treatment.

Six signs that can alert one to periodontal disease are:

• ● Bad breath that won’t go away
• ● Red or swollen gums
• ● Tender or bleeding gums (they should not bleed when you brush your teeth)
• ● Painful chewing
• ● Sensitive teeth
• ● Loose teeth

Unfortunately periodontal disease does not show symptoms until it is advanced and it is irreversible. However, you and your dentist can halt its progress. That is why it is so important to visit the dentist and take meticulous care in cleaning your teeth daily.

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Want to learn more on how to have a white and healthy smile and manage periodontal disease? I have designed and developed a home dental cleaning system that uses the technology of the professional Prophy-Jet to power wash between your teeth and around the gum line. Visit www.dentalairforce.com               Dr. Piero

Women who are going through or have completed menopause are more at risk for osteoporosis. A recent study reported in Menopause – The Journal of the North American Menopause Society found that those at risk of osteoporosis are also at risk of periodontal disease. The word osteoporosis means porous bones. As aging occurs, the body loses minerals, especially calcium. The bones become weaker and are more susceptible to breaking. Although osteoporosis is usually associated with backs, hips and wrists, the jaw is also a bone affected by osteoporosis.

Bone anchors the teeth and there is a loss of bone density with aging. With osteoporosis, loss of bone density may affect the bone surrounding teeth causing them to become loose. Osteoporosis is only one factor in healthy jaws. Menopausal women, according to the study, showed abnormal dental plaque (a precursor to periodontal disease).

Periodontal disease is another factor in healthy jaws. The cause of periodontal disease stems from the plaque-producing bacteria, found among the almost 500 species of bacteria in the mouth. The body recognizes the bacteria in the mouth as a chronic infection. The body sends blood cells via capillaries to the infected area and cytokines are released which in turn causes the body to produce more blood cells to physically fight the infection. Chronic infection results in messages or cytokines being continuously sent out and blood cells being continuously produced. This is stress on your entire body, taxing your immune system and now an association has been found with cytokines and osteoporosis.

The premise of the study in Menopause magazine was that the cytokines stimulate osteoclasts which degrade bone. The cytokines in periodontal disease are degrading the bone. So if you can treat the periodontal disease, this will lower the cytokines and slow down osteoporosis.

In the presence of cytokines in the blood stream a red flag should go up for physicians that there is an infection somewhere in the body. It has been now known for some time that this marker is as important for heart disease as cholesterol. This new study highlights the importance of cytokines and how it affects bone density.

Treating osteoporosis with long-term bisphosphonate seems to protect against some of the bone loss in the body including the jaw. And getting professional dental cleaning four times a year may be a good combination for keeping jaws and teeth healthy, especially for postmenopausal women.

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Want to learn more on how to have a white and healthy smile and manage periodontal disease? I have designed and developed a home dental cleaning system that uses the technology of the professional Prophy-Jet to power wash between your teeth and around the gum line. Visit www.dentalairforce.com               Dr. Piero

First – THE DESCRIPTION: periodontal disease is the chronic infection of the soft tissue around the teeth caused by plaque producing bacteria. The gums hold the teeth in place. As the gums become infected, they loosen their hold on the teeth and pockets are formed. These pockets collect debris and cause more infection and bone loss to the tooth. Imagine the tooth as a fence post in the ground, cemented in place. The post starts out sturdy and strong with no movement. The cement is doing its job. Now imagine that chemicals (from acid rain or blowing debris or winter salt trucks) start to erode the cement. Soon the post becomes wobbly and the wood under the ground starts to rot. The cement in this example is the gum tissue and the post is the tooth. Unfortunately, gum disease is worse than one rotting fence post. It is infectious and contagious. It can spread from tooth to tooth in the mouth and from one person’s mouth to another through saliva.

Second – THE SYMPTOMS: This is not so easy. Often gum disease has no symptoms so it is left untreated until it becomes so bad irreparable bone loss occurs. Outward signs of periodontitis are:

• Bad breath that won’t go away
• Red or swollen gums
• Bleeding gums especially after tooth brushing
• Tender or sore gums
• Loose teeth
• Receding gums

Third – THE DIAGNOSIS: During regular six month cleanings, a dentist can diagnose periodontal disease in its very early stages. Xrays determine if any bone loss has occurred. Periodontal probing determines the depth of the pockets or space that the gums have loosened around the tooth. High levels of plaque or tartar build up that have spread to below the gum line is another indication.

Fourth – THE TREATMENT: If you have perio issues, there are several steps that a dentist may recommend depending on the severity of the case. The most important action is meticulous at home daily oral care. Teeth must be brushed twice or more times each day for at least two minutes and flossed at least once per day. Other treatments include prescription oral rinses, three month perio cleanings, scaling and root planing (SRP) and surgery.

Last but not least – PREVENTION: The most important preventative measure to avoid the insidious gum disease is to take excellent care of your teeth. Proper cleaning at least twice a day is imperative. The goal is to keep the bacteria that cause the plaque at very low levels.

Not everyone gets gum disease, make sure you are among those that don’t.

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Want to learn more on how to have a white and healthy smile and manage periodontal disease? I have designed and developed a home dental cleaning system that uses the technology of the professional Prophy-Jet to power wash between your teeth and around the gum line. Visit www.dentalairforce.com               Dr. Piero

Strokes are caused by blockage in a blood vessel (most common) or bleeding of a vessel. The studies that were conducted showing a link between strokes and periodontal issues were those strokes caused by blockages. These occur when there is a thickening of the carotid and other arteries. Deposits of calcium and cholesterol – that are in blood vessels and arteries – break off and block the blood from reaching the brain. (The deposits are often referred to as plaque deposits. This is not to be confused with periodontal plaque.)

The bacteria found in periodontal disease are the perpetrator. The protein in the bacteria is similar to that found in periodontal disease. While the bacteria are in the mouth, the body sets up a defense mechanism to attack the disease. The chemical given off by the body first attacks the periodontal disease then attacks the proteins in the blood vessels. This in turn builds up the deposits in the arteries. When the fatty substances break off the lining of the blood vessels they can travel to the brain and block the blood, causing the stroke.

There are about 800,000 strokes in the US each year, with over 140,000 deaths. It is the third leading cause of death. Strokes strike both men and women and can occur at any age.

Perio disease is a chronic infection of the soft tissue around the teeth. The gum tissue is destroyed and pockets are formed around the tooth. Symptoms include loose teeth, deep pockets, bad breath that won’t go away, painful or bleeding gums and red or swollen gums. There are no symptoms in the early stages of periodontitis. Professional dental visits are necessary to insure the disease is caught early. Periodontitis is caused by the plaque (in this case dental plaque) build up from not keeping the area around the teeth and in between teeth clean.

There are risk factors for stroke that one cannot control. These include age, gender, and family history. There are risk factors, however, that can be controlled. One factor is periodontal disease. This can be managed successfully by individuals. Although oral surgical procedures may be necessary for severe cases, most treatment requires good oral hygiene. The American Dental Association (http://www.ada.org/public/topics/cleaning.asp) recommends brushing teeth twice a day, flossing once a day, and professional cleanings twice a year.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information who published the study showing the link between strokes and periodontal disease, reported that the thickening of the carotid arteries “are positively influenced by periodontal treatment.” (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19074511?dopt=Abstract)

This information reinforces the belief that many in the dental profession have known for years, that there is a significant link between oral health and overall health.

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Want to learn more on how to have a white and healthy smile and manage periodontal disease? I have designed and developed a home dental cleaning system that uses the technology of the professional Prophy-Jet to power wash between your teeth and around the gum line. Visit www.dentalairforce.com               Dr. Piero

Endometriosis is an issue found in women of childbearing age. It is the thickening of the outside of the uterus, often causing pain, abnormal bleeding and sometimes infertility. There is no known conclusive cause for endometriosis. There are a number of treatments; each depending on age and desire to become pregnant. The treatments may involve medications such as pain relievers, hormone treatment, oral contraceptives and others. Surgery is another option for severe cases or in those treating infertility.

Periodontal disease is a chronic infectious inflammation found in the mouth. The word comes from “peri” meaning around and “dontal” meaning tooth. Eighty percent of all adults have had some degree of the disease. Perio infection (affecting soft tissue) and tooth decay (affecting hard tissue) are the most prevalent diseases on the planet earth, however, because it’s in the mouth, out-of-sight, it is often put out-of-mind. Symptoms include swollen gums, loose teeth, painful chewing, bleeding gums. However, some people have no outward symptoms. A dentist can determine if periodontal disease or gingivitis exists and to what extent.

The reason for the possible link is not clear. The researchers atUniversityofMichiganconcluded, “Although it is conceivable that the multifactorial development of endometriosis may be augmented by an immune response to an infectious agent, the potential underlying link between endometriosis and periodontal disease may be a generalized, global immune dysregulation.” References: (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18394619)

Even though the study was not conclusive (most studies are not), it is just another indication that perio disease affects the whole body, not just the mouth. It is critical that women visit a dentist for regular six month check-ups and cleanings. If perio disease is present, it is also imperative that treatment be started. And most important, impeccable home oral care is necessary to keep teeth and gums healthy. The evidence points to reducing the risk of stroke by taking care of your mouth.

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Want to learn more on how to have a white and healthy smile and manage periodontal disease? I have designed and developed a home dental cleaning system that uses the technology of the professional Prophy-Jet to power wash between your teeth and around the gum line. Visit www.dentalairforce.com               Dr. Piero