You Could Have This Common Disease And Not Even Know It

Edward Estrada DDS, General Dentistry

We often stress the importance of maintaining routine hygiene examinations and regularly encourage patients to reflect on their last visit to our office and schedule an appointment as needed. During these appointments, we do more than clean your teeth and inspect for decay. We also check your mouth for indications of other serious conditions that can greatly affect your current and future oral health. One such disease affects approximately half of American adults at some part in their lives, so there is a large chance you might be suffering and be unaware. Read on to learn more.

Are You Affected By Gum Disease?

Edward Estrada DDS, General Dentistry, Patient Information

We recommend that our patients visit our office every six months for a routine hygiene examination. You might be surprised to learn that during your exam we do more than clean and check your teeth for tooth decay. In fact, tooth decay is not the number one oral health issue that affects a large percentage of American adults—it is gum disease. Approximately half of American adults are affected by gum disease in some way. Gum disease is a serious gum infection, accompanied by inflammation, caused by bacterial growth along the gumline and around the base of the tooth. Gum disease is extremely serious due to its quiet but destructive nature. Unlike tooth decay, gum disease does not cause discomfort and, at times, does not present itself until immediate treatment is needed.