Dr. Richard Nagelberg--a dentist with over 30 years of experience--has been featured quite a few times recently on Dentistry IQ. The topic of his choice? Periodontal disease. Nagelberg gently calls out other dentists and their efforts in treating this disease. Is he on to something, or is he off the mark? He may have a point. If you think back to your previous dental cleanings, do you remember anyone discussing periodontal disease with you? Unless it's already an issue, probably not. After all, why should patients with healthy teeth and gums be worried about something they don't have? The problem is that this lack of concern, or education, among patients means that some dentist offices are missing the preventative aspect. Obviously if a patient develops periodontal disease, he or she will be treated accordingly. But Dr. Nagelberg argues that dentists could be doing so much more. Periodontal disease is often measured by probing gum pockets and assessing the inflammation of the gums. However, dentists could go a step further and address not only the signs of disease, but the source: the bacteria in the gums. Take a look:
Maybe the reason more bacterial IDing doesn't occur is because patients want to get in and out of the office as quickly as possible. Or maybe it's because dentists are just used to looking at signs that can be observed in office since the molecular technology used to identify bacteria is relatively recent in the medical world. Today, DNA-PCR testing (a lab technique that can make copies of a DNA section) can be used to identify the specific bacteria causing periodontal disease before symptoms appear! And this testing is severely underutitlized--especially since it is so easy to do. As a patient, you just need to get your cheek swabbed or spit in a cup, and then that sample is analyzed in a lab. Even though there are over 600 million kinds of bacteria in your mouth, this test is able to identify the most common bacteria--like P. gingivalis, E. nodatum, A. actinomyceemcomitans--which cause the disease. Since early periodontal disease is easily treated and there are more than 3 million cases (according to the Mayo clinic), early preventative methods should be a must for everyone. If patients want to forgo testing, they should at least be aware of the secondary conditions that can develop with periodontal disease. The Dental Tribune just released a short sampling of different studies that illustrate the correlation:
Along with Alzheimer's, there's many studies that show a link between periodontal disease and issues like heart disease, respiratory diseases, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and so on. If a quick swab of your cheeks can help you prevent not only periodontal disease but other serious conditions, why not go for it? The post Testing for Periodontal Disease is Easier Than Ever appeared first on Dental Oasis Of Orange County. Dental Oasis Of Orange County 7777 Edinger Ave #232 Huntington Beach, CA 92647 (714) 894-7700 [email protected] Google My Business Listing Google Map Directions to our office Yelp Page via Blogger Testing for Periodontal Disease is Easier Than Ever
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