Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Periodontal disease

Periodontal disease is the name for bacterial infections of the gums in the mouth. In most cases this disease is linked to poor oral hygiene. Some people however can have a genetic pre-disposition to the disease. The disease once initiated can progress more rapidly in people who have diabetes, especially if the diabetes is poorly controlled. Smoking is a strong risk factor for periodontal disease. more...

Home
Diseases
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Arthritis
Arthritis
Bubonic plague
Hypokalemia
Pachydermoperiostosis
Pachygyria
Pacman syndrome
Paget's disease of bone
Paget's disease of the...
Palmoplantar Keratoderma
Pancreas divisum
Pancreatic cancer
Panhypopituitarism
Panic disorder
Panniculitis
Panophobia
Panthophobia
Papilledema
Paraganglioma
Paramyotonia congenita
Paraphilia
Paraplegia
Parapsoriasis
Parasitophobia
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinsonism
Paroxysmal nocturnal...
Patau syndrome
Patent ductus arteriosus
Pathophobia
Patterson...
Pediculosis
Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Pelvic lipomatosis
Pemphigus
Pemphigus
Pemphigus
Pendred syndrome
Periarteritis nodosa
Perinatal infections
Periodontal disease
Peripartum cardiomyopathy
Peripheral neuropathy
Peritonitis
Periventricular leukomalacia
Pernicious anemia
Perniosis
Persistent sexual arousal...
Pertussis
Pes planus
Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
Peyronie disease
Pfeiffer syndrome
Pharmacophobia
Phenylketonuria
Pheochromocytoma
Photosensitive epilepsy
Pica (disorder)
Pickardt syndrome
Pili multigemini
Pilonidal cyst
Pinta
PIRA
Pityriasis lichenoides...
Pityriasis lichenoides et...
Pityriasis rubra pilaris
Placental abruption
Pleural effusion
Pleurisy
Pleuritis
Plummer-Vinson syndrome
Pneumoconiosis
Pneumocystis jiroveci...
Pneumocystosis
Pneumonia, eosinophilic
Pneumothorax
POEMS syndrome
Poland syndrome
Poliomyelitis
Polyarteritis nodosa
Polyarthritis
Polychondritis
Polycystic kidney disease
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Polycythemia vera
Polydactyly
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Polymyositis
Polyostotic fibrous...
Pompe's disease
Popliteal pterygium syndrome
Porencephaly
Porphyria
Porphyria cutanea tarda
Portal hypertension
Portal vein thrombosis
Post Polio syndrome
Post-traumatic stress...
Postural hypotension
Potophobia
Poxviridae disease
Prader-Willi syndrome
Precocious puberty
Preeclampsia
Premature aging
Premenstrual dysphoric...
Presbycusis
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Primary ciliary dyskinesia
Primary hyperparathyroidism
Primary lateral sclerosis
Primary progressive aphasia
Primary pulmonary...
Primary sclerosing...
Prinzmetal's variant angina
Proconvertin deficiency,...
Proctitis
Progeria
Progressive external...
Progressive multifocal...
Progressive supranuclear...
Prostatitis
Protein S deficiency
Protein-energy malnutrition
Proteus syndrome
Prune belly syndrome
Pseudocholinesterase...
Pseudogout
Pseudohermaphroditism
Pseudohypoparathyroidism
Pseudomyxoma peritonei
Pseudotumor cerebri
Pseudovaginal...
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum
Psittacosis
Psoriasis
Psychogenic polydipsia
Psychophysiologic Disorders
Pterygium
Ptosis
Pubic lice
Puerperal fever
Pulmonary alveolar...
Pulmonary hypertension
Pulmonary sequestration
Pulmonary valve stenosis
Pulmonic stenosis
Pure red cell aplasia
Purpura
Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch
Purpura, thrombotic...
Pyelonephritis
Pyoderma gangrenosum
Pyomyositis
Pyrexiophobia
Pyrophobia
Pyropoikilocytosis
Pyrosis
Pyruvate kinase deficiency
Uveitis
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Medicines

Symptoms

  • occasional redness or bleeding of gums while brushing or using dental floss teeth or biting into hard food (e.g. apples)
  • occasional swellings that recur
  • halitosis or bad breath
  • persistent bad taste in the mouth
  • shaky teeth in later stages
  • recession of gums resulting in apparent lengthening of teeth (also caused by heavy handed brushing using a hard tooth brush)
  • pockets between the teeth and the gums (Pockets are sites where the jaw bone has been destroyed gradually or by repeated swellings. Teeth become loose or shaky when sufficient jaw bone has been destroyed. The unfortunate thing is that the bone destruction is largely painless.)
  • lack of pain when bleeding happens after cleaning is NOT a sign of health.

Treatment

  • regular brushing and flossing and using an interdental brush at least daily.
  • treatment by a Periodontist, which includes professional cleaning to remove calculus (tartar, tooth stone)and may include drugs (infrequently), and/or surgery occasionally.

Prevention

  • brushing properly on a regular basis (2 times a day)
  • flossing daily and using interdental brushes if there is sufficient space between teeth and behind the last tooth in each quarter.
  • regular dental checkups and professional teeth cleaning as required. This serves to monitor the person's oral hygiene methods and how the condition has responded to treatment. Professional tooth cleaning will not prevent or control the disease because the bacterial plaque (biofilm) returns on the tooth surfaces every 24 hours.

See also

  • Actinomyces naeslundii (a kind of bacteria)
  • dental plaque

Disease progression and predisposition

  • According to the Sri Lanka Tea Labourer study, on the absence of any oral hygiene activity, approximately 10% will suffer from severe periodontal disease with rapid loss of attachment(>2mm/yr). 80% will suffer from moderate loss (1-2 mm/year) and the remaining 10% will not suffer any loss.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


[List your site here Free!]


Blood test for periodontal disease
From Medical Laboratory Observer, 6/1/04

Blood test for periodontal disease. The Journal of Periodontology reports that, in the future, periodontal disease might be detected by a blood test. In a Japanese study, researchers tested the blood of 7,452 people. One of the study's researchers says, "We found that generally, if the blood was 'healthy,' the oral health was also healthy. Conversely, if the blood test detected certain 'red flags,' the person also had serious symptoms of periodontal disease." Michael P. Rethman, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, adds, "These findings mean that when patients visit their medical doctors for a routine check-up and annual blood work, they may also be referred to a periodontist for a periodontal screening if their blood indicates systemic abnormalities."

COPYRIGHT 2004 Nelson Publishing
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

Return to Periodontal disease
Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay