And it sounds quite accurate. Smoking is bad for your body no matter how you look at it.
When we had a cadaver in lab, he had been a smoker for many years, and his lungs were jet black. They were jet black from the inside to the outside.
Worse, he had been soaked in formaldehyde for many months. Upon opening the chest, we could smell cigarette smoke.
Please stop and think about it.
Risk Factor For Gum Disease
Toxic smoke also seems to increase your chances of having or getting gum disease. The chances of having gum disease are already very high. If you add smoke on top of it, it just makes for a bad deal.
Here we are talking about your home oral care. That is what you do at home between your regular office visits for cleanings and checkups.
Your regular cleanings are very important. The hygienist will clean the built up plaque and tartar from your teeth. And your dentist will check to make sure that your gums and teeth are healthy. Plaque and Tartar Are Your Enemy
There is such a concept as healthy plaquing, but that hardly exists today, except in perhaps a few very rare individuals. So we will not talk about it.
For the purpose of this conversation, we consider all plaque and tartar buildup to be unhealthy. For most people that is actually the case, so it is correct to view it in that perspective.
Under the plaque and tartar is where the unhealthy or 'bad' bacteria grow. They grow very quickly there.
Therefore, your hygienist is there to remove that which you were unable to prevent or mitigate with your home care.
The Bacteria
The bacteria that grow under the plaque and tartar are what cause many dental health problems. This includes cavities and gum disease.
Of the two, gum disease is arguably the more serious. Gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss. If we are to believe most dental professionals, then 75% of people have gum disease. That's 3 out of every four. Some estimate even higher, some lower.
Gum disease is the primary cause of tooth loss. Out of all the teeth that will be lost this year. The vast majority will be due to gum disease.
An implant or dentures is usually the solution at that point. Perhaps they are not perfect solutions, but they are better than nothing because an empty space in your mouth will cause the other teeth to shift around.
These solutions can also be costly. Implant costs vary greatly, but they are definitely expensive.
Gum Disease
Your dentist will tell you if you have gum disease. One of the most objective measurements is your periodontal pocket depths.
Generally speaking, 3mms and below is considered healthy and above 3mm is generally considered unhealthy. These objective measurements become important to you as they measure a more or less critical aspect of your dental health.
They should be measured by either the dentist or hygienist on every visit. You should know what they are and ask for them if they are not provided.
If you are at 3mm and below, then what you are doing at home is working just fine. If you are above 3mm then it is possible that things can get worse from there.
You adjust your home care accordingly until you are able to get your periodontal pocket depths to 3mm and below and keep them there (between regular dental cleanings).
The regular appointments with your dentist are still important. The hygienist can get the 'trouble' spots (where plaque and tartar have accumulated and which you have failed to prevent) cleaned up for you.
This is the purpose of all the things we do at home: Brushing and flossing are for disrupting plaque on a daily basis. This helps to prevent the bacteria from growing quickly. They need to be shielded from oxygen to do their damage and that is what the plaque and tartar provide for them - a shield!
A Problem
However, there is a problem. We know that a lot of people have some gum disease right now. So we have to conclude that for many people, regular brushing and flossing may not be enough to prevent problems and those periodontal pocket depths from getting too deep.
No one thing is guaranteed to work 100% of the time for 100% of the people. Every human body is different.
However, the Hydro Floss Oral Irrigator has made a big difference for a lot of people, myself included. I was able to avoid an expensive treatment from utilizing the Hydro Floss. My gums became healthy again! I cannot guarantee that it will work for you. But it has worked for me and a lot of my customers too.
On the surface, this premise sounds like this is a 'new' phenomenon. But, I suspect that this has been the case for quite a long time. Juices and milk are full of sugars and we all know that sugar will feed tooth decay causing bacteria.
These bacteria then produce acidic waste byproducts. These acids are what cause the creation of cavities. More sugar leads to more bacterial growth and so forth and so on.
A Tip
Here is an idea. Try getting xylitol tooth gel and rubbing it on the children's teeth at night. Xylitol is also a sugar, but it is one that the bacteria cannot use. They end up starving and dying. These gels can sometimes be found in health food stores. Read the label directions carefully before use.
Toothy Decay Problem
It's not a surprise that tooth problems are 'on the rise'. They have been rampant' for a long time and not just in children either. Consider how large the dental health industry is. That should tell you all you need to know.
Tooth decay and other dental health problems occur frequently. People are always being treated for them. The treatment of dental disease must be a multi-billion dollar industry. I guess that it could possibly be a trillion dollar industry.
It is frightening when you think about it. Focusing on prevention is the best way to try and protect yourself and your family. Knowledge is power.
This is my dental health prevention message for the day!
I thought this story about Dr. Tills, DDS and Dr. Mathew Kutz, DDS offering free oral cancer screenings was worthy of being talked about. Here is the full story from prweb.
I think it is fantastic that they are doing this. Oral cancer is obviously something serious and it is not something that most offices have the ability to screen for.
Therefore, an office that is offering free screenings - even if it is only for April 2013 is news worthy.
I'm delighted to hear of their work.
Of the many things that gum disease appears, according to researchers, to be related to, increased risk for oral cancer is one of them.
It's quite amazing when you consider the volume of research that shows a connection betweengum disease and all kinds of other disease, isn't it? It appears that a long term, chronic bacterial infection in the mouth (gum disease) leads to all kinds of more significant health problems.
The bacteria: p gingivalis has even been found in heart arterial plaque! Wow.
Prevention is important. And many dentists and hygienists are able to educate patients and help give them helpful tips, like using the HydroFloss at home, to help improve their periodontal health. And for many people it is working!
Congrats to Doctors Tills and Kutz for offering free screening for oral cancer during the month of April 2013!
--------
And don't forget about prevention as well. Many expensive dental
procedures could be avoided in the first place, if patient's were more
educated about prevention. My favorite.
Dr. Ellie has been a leader who focuses on dental health prevention. That is something I definitely applaud.
With over 30 years of clinical experience she has been able to help many people achieve and maintain a healthy mouth. That translates to patients keeping more teeth for a lifetime of good service as well as avoiding expensive dental bills and pain.
Dr. Phillips deserves much praise as a trail blazer who has worked diligently to help the public understand that prevention really does pay. Prevention pays the patient. This shows that Dr. Ellie's heart is in the right place.
Dr. Ellie has her own line of xylitol gums and mints called Zellies. Her brand of xylitol has helped and will continue to help people with prevention. The pH elevating powers and bacteria hindering properties of xylitol make it a powerful tool in the arsenal of those who believe in prevention.
I applaud Dr. Ellie for her hard work and efforts to truly help patients over the decades. She shines brightly in a world that needs more light!
Thank you Dr. Phillips for all that you have done for the people.
It is really true! Dental hygienists are really responsible for getting rid of all that built up plaque and tartar. They work harder scraping away day after day - all for the benefit of their patients.
They deserve to be recognized!
Everyone needs to get their teeth cleaned and this is the hard work that dental hygienists do each day. This is their contribution to our society. This is something you really can not do for yourself.
In addition, they provide useful tips and advice on how we can possibly do a better job of keeping our teeth and gums healthy. They are like dental health coaches.
Yes, it is really true, Dental Hygienists are the BEST. What they do is so important and the value cannot be overestimated. They are awesome.
So, thank you to all of the dental hygienists out there for helping us to keep our teeth and gums healthy!
PS: If you know of a dental hygienist you would like to have
recognized, please send their name and your name and city so that I can post that information on this site. Use this contact form to send in the information.
Only you have the power to do something at home. What you do,
every day, at home is the most important thing when it comes to your
dental health. There aren't many, if any, dental professionals that
would disagree with that. You can find one to ask if you don't believe
me.
* this site speaks in general terms only. For specific questions about
your own unique dental health situation, be sure to ask your
periodontist or dentist. Every human body is different and no one can guarantee any results. But it sure seems like your chances are better with prevention knowledge than without, doesn't it?
The book is valued at $21.99, so you will get this value along with a brand new HydroFloss (latest model). The HydroFloss comes with a warranty as well. This is a 'real' book. It is one that you can hold in your hand and read - the old fashioned way!
The book, What You Should Know About Gum Disease is an excellent adjunct to your Hydro Floss. It is about 240 pages packed full of easy-to-understand information on gum disease and dental health.
This chocked full of the 'secrets' to dental health that most professionals either don't know or don't have the time to tell / teach you. And 'secrets' there are.
For example, the measurement of your periodontal pocket depths is an objective guage to the health of your gums. 3mm and below is, generally speaking considered good by dental health professionald and anything above, generally speaking, is considered a problem.
Yet, many dental offices are not measuring these on each dental visit, they are not telling their patients what these numbers mean and the importance of them.
You are empowered with these numbers to know where you stand. When gum health deteriorates, expensive treatments are right around the corner. And unfortunately, this is often the point that people find out they have gum disease!
However, we already know, according to dental professionals, that 75% of people have some gum disease right now! Start protecting yourself today.
*
I speak in general terms only on this site. Specific questions about
your unique dental health situation should be addressed by your doctor
or periodontist.
The Hydro Floss Oral Irrigator is your Best choice - When it comes to oral irrigators, this is really true. Don't miss out on this special device. The money it can save you in prevention is worth a LOT more than the cost of this machine.
* I speak in general terms only on this site. Specific questions
about your unique dental health situation should be addressed by your
doctor or periodontist.
* I speak in general terms only on this site. Specific questions about your unique dental health situation should be addressed by your doctor or periodontist.
Essential oils have been known to kill bacteria. Whether this blend is going to make a huge difference in your dental health is an interesting question to ask.
I tend to think this blend could be helpful, particularly in combination with use of the hydrofloss oral irrigator. As the author of the book: What You Should Know About Gum Disease - I would say that the Hydro Floss is the most powerful and useful tool or product I have come across.
I suspect it does the most good for the most people.
No one can suggest a cure for periodontal disease. That's just not possible. What you can talk about is control of harmful bacterial populations. This is because you can never fully get rid of the bacteria in your mouth, no matter what you try.
One should always be under the care of a dentist or periodontist. It is important that they monitor the health of your gums.
The key measurement and probably the most objective / effective one is the measurement of your periodontal pocket depths.
If you are able to get those down to 3mm or below, most dental professionals would probably say your gums are healthy at that point.
Therefore, whatever you do at home, you are looking for the change it causes in your periodontal pocket measurement numbers on your next office visit.
Or course, every human body is different and no one thing works for every person 100% of the time. The only way to know is to try something and watch your results. I speak in general terms only here and specific questions about your unique dental health situation should be directed to your dentist or periodontist. They can provide advice, diagnosis and treatment. This site cannot and does not attempt to do that.
* I speak in general terms only on this site. Specific questions
about your unique dental health situation should be addressed by your
doctor or periodontist.
I thought it would be fun to list these dental health books that are worth reading. The authors of these books have challenged the standard preconceived notions about dental health. They are all interesting and speak from interesting perspectives.
1. Root Canal Cover Up- George Meinig, DDS. Dr. Meinig explains one of the biggest problems with root canals. If you have or are about to get a root canal, it would be to your benefit to read this book and understand what kind of problems can occur. This is wonderful book from a doctor with tons of experience, just like the book above.
If you care about dental health, this is a must read. Same Topic: There is a documentary called "Root Cause" - if you are worried about root canals, whether you have had one or it is being recommended to you, you should probably watch this documentary.
2. Cure Tooth Decay - Ramiel Nagel and Timothy Gallagher, DDS. This book is all about nutritional changes that can impact your dental health. I have some objections to this book.
I don't agree with everything in this book. But, the general information and "most" of the nutritional information is good. I would say this: Don't eat raw meats. Don't eat raw organ meats. Don't use 'fermented' cod liver oil. Regular cod liver oil is fine. Other than that, most of this book has good information in it.
3. Oral Health Bible - Dr. Bonner. Great insight into your dental health.
4. The Dental Diet - Dr. Steve Lin discusses one of the most hidden aspects of your dental health - The Dental Diet!
Finally, at the risk of sounding self-serving I have to mention my own book. This is because gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss bar none. Lot's of people lose a tooth or teeth to gum disease. They get a denture or implant and still don't know the root cause of their problem. This ignorance can lead to more lost teeth and more expense.
Therefore, I think my book is very important and every family should have a copy.
* On this site, I speak in general terms only. For specific questions about your unique dental health situation, be sure to direct those questions to your dentist or periodontist.
Dental health is rather precious. You are probably already aware of the costs involved just with getting a simple cavity repaired.
You may have experienced other costs for crowns, root canals, bonding, implants, dentures and gum surgeries, among others. When you stop to consider how much you can pay over a lifetime for dental costs, the numbers are quite staggering.
That is true even if you have good insurance. Because in the dental world the co-pays can be quite high. In many cases, insurance won't pay because they either 1. consider it your fault or 2. consider it a cosmetic issue.
The sad part about this is that a staggering number of people know they need dental work done, but they also know they can't afford it. Therefore, they let it go. The dental community has an obligation, in my opinion, to reach out to those people.
The costs of dental care are high and do tend to support higher than average lifestyles. That is why I think that obligation exists. Of course, few people are going to pay me any heed. I know that. :)
Therefore, Prevention becomes even more important to all of the people, regardless of socio-economics.
Prevention Is The Key
Everyone knows about brushing and flossing. But, if they were really all you needed to do, would people have so many dental health problems?
No prevention method is a 100%, but I do think it is reasonable to consider that people need more than brushing and flossing if they want to prevent more problems and avoid more costly treatments.
No one wants the pain of some treatments anyway. Even when the anesthetics wear off, there will be pain.
What can you do besides brushing and flossing, plus your regular dental office cleanings, to improve your odds of avoiding costly treatments and perhaps even saving teeth? The answer, I believe is with the Hydro Floss.
It's helped a lot of people and there is a good chance that it can help you. Again, no method is 100%, but if you add the Hydro Floss to your regular brushing and flossing routines, how much more might the odds be in your favor?
The article has a good side because it acknowledges that babies generally get their first oral bacterial from their mothers (or any other caregiver). Babies are not born with oral bacteria.
Instead, they generally get that bacteria from whoever it is that cares for them. However, the article seemed to suggest that fixing / preventing cavities would prevent or help to prevent the cavity producing bacteria from colonizing the babies mouth.
I think if the bacteria are there they will get passed on, even if the mother has no active cavities. Instead, prevention would be better served in 'shifting' the kind of bacteria in the mother's mouth.
You don't hear many dental professionals talking about that concept and neither did this article. However, it is similar to the concept that you hear in regular health care circles. That is the 'replacing' the bacteria in the gut that are destroyed by antibiotics.
The mouth, interesting enough is part of the alimentary canal. The Alimentary canal is the portion of our body devoted to the movement of food through our body and removing nutrients from that food. The same system that the bacteria in the gut, just mentioned, reside in.
Shifting That Bacteria
So, how do you shift the bacteria to a healthier population? This is something that the article seemed to overlook while promoting the virtue of extinguishing existing cavities. Which is still a good idea, in any case.
Since, this is not really an area that is actively researched, for whatever reason, it may not be well documented.
However, some professionals suggest that the use of 6 - 10 pieces of xylitol gum (.72 grams of xylitol per peice) daily, over a period of about 6 months or so, may shift the kind of bacteria that inhabit your mouth over time.
Yogurt, as mentioned by Japanese researchers, may help to retard gum disease through a simple concept. It seems to work like it does in the human gut. You prevent a 'bad bacteria' population from colonizing the mouth by promoting the colonization of 'good bacteria' Good bacteria would be the kind that don't cause gum disease, cavities, and bad breath. So eating yogurt may be helpful.
Balancing the mouth pH. The anaerobic or bad bacteria like an acidic mouth. It helps them to multiply more rapidly. Theoretically, a high pH mouth may work against the 'bad' bacteria and promote the 'good' bacteria. An 'acidic' mouth may do just the opposite.
Oxygenation, may be helpful in reducing harmful anaerobic (oxygen hating) bacteria. This in turn can promote the oxygen loving (and generally healthy) bacteria.
I wish the article above had touched on these important concepts. But it did not. Instead it focused on how to get dental treatment TO pregnant women.
Prevention is for everyone and starting on prevention before pregnancy would be even better!
Pregnant Women Are At An Elevated Risk For Gum Disease
The jury is out on exactly WHY this happens. But it probably has something to do with hormonal changes and / or the fact that the fetus is really taking a LOT of nutrients from the mother. This may have the impact of weakening her immune system somewhat.
But one thing is clear, any gum disease in the mother increases the risk of having a low birth weight and / or prematurely born baby. So, it is worth learning more on the topic of gum disease
It seems that I have received questions about veneers for teeth lately on my twitter account So, I thought I would share my thoughts on them.
Disclaimer: I am not a dentist nor do I have any training in this area, I am just using common sense and limited knowledge here.
First of all, veneers are costly. There is not just the initial cost but you must also be prepared to pay for maintenance or to correct problems in the future.
But, if you have a good doctor whom you really trust and has lots of experience, then it can work out well.
If you know of a doctor who has a lot of experience and does great work, you can tell us about her in the comment section below.
Poorly Fitted Veneers
Ill fitting veneers can be problematic. By the same token, improperly placed veneers can be a big problem as well.
If not made and placed correctly, the results can be less than expected. You can search on the Internet there are stories of those who are very disappointed by the results.
Bottom line is, unless you are a celebrity or have the bankroll, you should not even consider veneers. The only other exception to that would be if your teeth are in such bad shape that there really is no other option. But that is rather unlikely as there are a lot of thing that can be done to make teeth look nicer. Ask your dentist.
It's not like you can just take veneers off if you don't like them. Your teeth will need restoral work afterwards except in very rare cases.
So think well about whether you want to spend all that money and consider the future possible problems and costs as well.
The bottom line is, that for the average person, it just is not worth it.
If You Are Going to Do It Despite What I Wrote Above
It is super important for you to find someone who has a LOT of experience placing veneers. You want a true expert to give you the best possible outcome.
Look for someone with a minimum of 10 years experience. It takes about that long to master most things so it is a good 'rule of thumb'.
You will be paying a lot both now and in the future, so make sure you go to an absolute professional in this area.
The practitioner should absolutely make a model for you so that you can see what the likely results will be. If they don't do that, you should be scared and have a big question mark in your mind.
Again, you need someone who is totally experienced in this area. The chances for problems are not small. You can minimize your risk by seeing the right doctor.
Let's Talk About Prevention
I think I have made it clear that veneers are not an easy or cheap answer. Taking care of your teeth for a lifetime of good service IS always the right answer.
The biggest threat in regards to loosing a tooth or multiple teeth is gum disease. Ask any dental professional. Most tooth loss is due to gum disease. This is a problem that many people have and yet are completely oblivious too.
Dental professionals also tell us that about 75% of people have some gum disease. Go to any periodontist office and look in the waiting room. The treatment of gum disease must be a multi-billion dollar industry!
Therefore, any discussion of preventing costly, painful and time consuming dental health treatments must include the topic of gum disease. It is the number one cause of tooth loss.
I hope I have explained why it is important to understand what gum disease is and what you can do to mitigate its damage or even prevent it.
Therefore, I have written the book: What You Should Know About Gum Disease. And I believe that every family needs one copy, because of the 75% figure quoted above. Ask any dental professional, they will tell you that the problem is widespread.
Another great prevention tool, my favorite actually, is this one.
I spoke in general terms here, if you have specific questions about your unique dental health situation, be sure to direct those questions to your dentist or periodontist.
I have heard from a good number of people over the last several years. They have told me about their experiences with the Hydro Floss and how it has really improved / helped their dental health.
Incredible Benefits And Dental Health Prevention From the Hydro Floss
When you think about it, $98 is really nothing if you can save yourself from one dental surgery, one SRP treatment, one implant or even one simple cavity and filling.
The Hydro Floss has a proven track record and has been around for about 25 years now. Yet, many people are still unaware of how much it can help them. I have kind of turned it into a mission of mine to help people become more aware.
There really is nothing else like it. It is NOT a Water Pik. It does more than other irrigators can do and that has been clearly documented in a professional journal twice!
That journal is The Journal Of Clinical Periodontology. If you are not sure, Periodontology is the study of the tissues that support your teeth. They are very important and keeping them healthy should be the primary focus of your dental home care.
Gum disease is an affliction and we are told by professionals that about 75% of people have it. This problem is also the number one cause of tooth loss.
The 'bad bacteria' are responsible for cavities, gum disease, bad breath and more. Have you heard some people make the point that the problem "is not sugar". In a sense they are right, but on the other hand, not absolutely correct. The sugar feeds the bacteria. In turn the bacteria create acidic waste products that attack your tissues. More sugar equates to more acid!
This cycle causes oral health problems. Under plauqe and tartar is where the 'bad bacteria' grow and accumulate under a shield from oxygen.
The Hydro Floss has been shown to create a much greater reduction in plaque and tartar build up when compared to irrigators that do not use the same patented magnetic technology.
This is the primary reason the Hydro Floss is superior. You can help me educate people on this topic by liking and sharing this page as well as the other pages on this site.
PS: Get your free guides on fighting gum disease and stopping bad breath *I speak in general terms only, specific questions about your own unique dental health situation should be addressed to your periodontist, dentist or doctor.
As we continue are series on gum disease whereby I am reading at least the first four chapters and making this video series, I hope that you are able to glean some information as well as see the value of what is contained inside the book: What You Should Know About Gum Disease.
Gum Disease
Gum disease is truly a widespread problem. If you know you have it, you are definitely not alone. If you don't know that you have, the odds are pretty high that you may have it regardless of whether you have been made aware of it yet or not.
A great deal of people remain unaware. We can deduce that as being true because dental professionals tell us that 75% of people have gum disease. Since that equates to about 3 out of every 4 people, I am confident in saying that plenty of people have it and just don't know.
Expensive Treatments
I was faced with an expensive treatment that would have cost me about $1600 had I chosen to accept it. Perhaps a little less with insurance, but I am pretty sure it would not have been much less. I was also told that consequence of the treatment would be the need for a special cleaning every time I visited in the future.
Of course, that 'special' cleaning would cost more than 'normal' cleanings. I had to wonder if that meant there would be some damage to my gums. What else would require a 'special' cleaning every time in the future.
All of this is often bewildering when you are confronted with it initially. You may be overwhelmed first by the news and then by not understanding what is going on.
Although I speak in general terms here and specific questions about your dental health should be directed towards your dentist, you might find it helpful to learn the information I have put in this book. Perhaps it could help you to avoid expensive treatments.
Since gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss, perhaps one of the more expensive treatments you could face is the installation of an implant. They can be quite costly and insurance is not likely to pay for much of that.
Fighting Back Against Gum Disease
Perhaps, armed with the right knowledge, you could truly turn the tide, safe teeth and avoid a lot of costly treatments. Every human body is different, but it seems to me that you will gain at least something from this book, even in the worst case scenarios.
However, it also seems to me that there is a good chance that you could learn some things that could make a major difference in your own dental health. Aside from potentially saving money, time and pain, you might also relieve some of the anxiety that comes with not understanding a very horrible and often slow acting disease.
Researchers have found plenty of suspected links between gum disease and more serious diseases. An anesthesiologist told me that he was certain they would see less heart surgery if people cleaned up their gum disease first. He might very well be correct!
* Everything I say is in general terms only, specific questions about your unique dental health situation should be directed towards your doctor for answers.
I had an interesting conversation with one of my customers who purchased a Hydro Floss today.
We talked about the work of Weston Price and potential problems with some popular health food items today. We also talked about radioactivity in Europe and now on the West Coast of the US.
It is quite amazing how many of us easily forget about the radioactive disasters of yesterday that can be affecting our food supply and ourselves today.
Anyway, I digress. We are here to talk about gum disease. But, I truly enjoy the different perspectives I hear from my customers about all things health. Regardless of whether I agree or not, it is almost always interesting hear various viewpoints from everyone.
At any rate, one thing we can be relative certain of is that about 75% of the population exhibits some form of gum disease right now. Ask any dentist, hygienist, periodontist, or oral surgeon, they all know the problem is widespread. That is why I believe every family needs the information contained within this book, whether they realize it or not.
A few weeks ago, an anesthesiologist who also bought this device from me and works for a busy hospital told me that he was sure that gum disease had an awful lot to do with the cardiac disease they were constantly treating. Many researchers have long suspected links between gum disease and many other diseases.
When you think about this, it isn't really all that new. As you can see in history, one always checked the condition of a horse or other work animal before purchasing it. Theyintuitively knew that a diseased mouth reflected the state of the rest of the body. They would not buy work animals with bad teeth. Isn't that fascinating?
Gum disease is a big problem. Many times you can do something about it. However, if regular brushing and flossing were 'always enough', would we see the high incidence of gum disease that we do? I will leave the answer for you to think about. Perhaps you will draw the same conclusion I have.
Knowledge is Power
If knowledge is power, not having enough would be ignorance then, wouldn't it? Sometimes the technical language and professional language are a big barrier to understanding.
The subtitle to What You Should Know About Gum Disease is "A Layman's Guide To Fighting Gum Disease."
It is so for a reason. I have put things in an easy to understand format and repeat the key points over and over again from different angles. It is to drive home what this disease is and what you have to achieve to overcome it. While the amount of effort varies from person to person, because every body is different, it is hard to get anywhere if you don't have the right information.
One key point is that the fight against gum disease, regardless of whether you want to stop it or prevent it in the first place is a daily struggle. No one is going to work on your teeth everyday, except you. It isn't practical or possible to get a dental cleaning every day. Yet, the plaque must be disrupted every day.
Perhaps brushing and regular flossing really are good enough for some people, but what about the majority of people? Again, you can draw your own conclusion.
Perhaps the book: What You Should Know About Gum Disease is one that belongs on your family's health book shelf?
Use the comment section below if you would like to add to the discussion.
* I speak in general terms only, for specific questions about your unique dental health situation, be sure to ask your periodontist or dentist for those answers. They can also provide you with advice, diagnosis and treatment, while no website can.
]
