gum disease

The question "Where can you get a gum graft?" will invariably pop up once somebody’s either been told they have some tooth root exposure or they notice a darkening of the root at the receded gum line. This darkening can be due to a number of reasons but it’s most commonly from a bit of decay. Fortunately, many people can be good candidates for a grafting of tissue over that gum area.

This first thing to know about such procedures as grafts is that they are what are known as "periodontal surgeries." Now, the term surgery often conjures visions of an operating room theater and a team of intense-looking gown-clad medical types, but fortunately that’s not the case in this type of procedure.

As with any kind of surgery or disease, prevention is you best option. However, once you have reached a certain point, perhaps you and your doctor will feel that it is too late for preventive measures. Some products that are useful for periodontal health are ora md, therabreath and the hydro floss oral irrigator.

Gum grafts are most often performed in the treatment room of a periodontist, who is usually a doctor of dental surgery (DDS), with a board certification and specialist training in periodontal issues. Just as with medical doctors, though, any dentist who’s been licensed to practice dentistry can hang a shingle out and do just about any aspect of dental medicine.

It’s always highly recommended, though, that some time be taken to research for a dentist with appropriate periodontal certifications and extensive experience in performing grafts. If you stop to think about things doesn’t it make sense, after all, to put your trust in somebody who actually specializes in such procedures instead of a general dentist who may or may not have such a background?

Gum grafting can make sense in a few different circumstances, especially when the root of the tooth is exposed or there’s some hypersensitivity of the area surrounding the root. If done properly, with donor tissue taken from the palate of the mouth, a full healing can be expected within 4 to 8 weeks. Remember to try to use a periodontist who has experience in the procedure, if possible.

Scott W. recommends the book: What You Should Know about Gum Disease for those seeking more information on this topic. ISBN: 978-0981485508

Disclaimer: If you have or think you might have gum disease or any other health problem, please visit your doctor or periodontist for advice, diagnosis and treatment. This article is for information purposes only and does not intend to provide advice, diagnosis or treatment for any health condition.

gum disease

While there are certainly risk factors for gum disease such as smoking, chewing tobacco and pregnancy, it is important to realize that gum disease can strike anyone.

Our lives as human beings are often riddled with stress which can also be a factor. I think it is important to point out what the ‘statistics’ say about this disease. Basically, most dental professionals will quote that up to 75% of people have gum disease in some form right now.

Staggering, isn’t it? If true, and I see little indication that it is not true, that means if you line up 10 people right now, the majority of them will have some form of gum disease.

I also suspect that a number of people think that because they have recently visited the dentist and the dentist did not say anything, that it means their gums are healthy. This also, may not be the case.

I know from personal experience that my dentist was not ready to spring the full details on me until it was time for a SRP (Scaling and Root Planing) procedure – often called a ‘deep cleaning’. I think it is incredibly sad that any dentist would wait that long.

I believe a periodontist I know told me that it has been studied and shown that general dentists are not always focused on the patients periodontal health. It makes sense, right? General dentists are primarily interested in finding and fixing defects with your teeth.

Yet, I would not want to let them all off the hook so easily. They know very well what gum disease looks like and they are capable of detecting it even when it is very minor.

So, what does all this mean? It simply means that you need to really make double and triple sure you are not facing gum disease RIGHT NOW.

The reason why is that gum disease can lead to gum recession, which makes your gums more vulnerable to additional attacks and recession, etc. In other words, it can become a vicious cycle.

What is the number one cause of tooth loss? Gum disease is.

Bad NEWS? Not if you take action to insure your dental health or to regain it if you have already lost some of it. The odds? The odds say you could have some form of gum disease right now. The fix? Learn all that you can now.

David Snape is the author of What You Should Know about Gum Disease

*Disclaimer – I am not a doctor or dentist. If you have or think you might have gum disease or any other health problem, visit your doctor or dentist for advice, diagnosis and treatment. This post is for information purposes only and does not intend to provide advice, diagnosis or treatment. The USFDA has not evaluated statements about any products mentioned.