Overall Health

Your oral health and overall wellbeing

Dental health affects your overall wellbeing. Your mouth is an entry point for the rest of your body, and this is why oral health is so important. Regular dental visits, cleanings and screenings help maintain a healthy mouth and improve your defense system against harmful disease.

If oral attackers, like germs and bacteria, get beyond your natural defenses, the result is periodontal (gum) disease. Periodontal disease contributes to other diseases, like:

• Heart disease/Heart attacks
• Diabetes
• A higher risk of delivering premature, low birth-weight infants
• A potentially fatal heart disease called infective endocarditis
• Respiratory (breathing related) disease
• A weakened immune system that can slow healing of wounds and reduce a person’s response to hepatitis B and flu vaccines.
• Tooth loss

Bacteria in the mouth cause gum disease. Mucus, food residue, and bacteria form the sticky, colorless plaque you hear about in toothpaste commercials. Plaque hardens over time into tarter. Brushing and flossing are effective in fighting plaque, but they will remove tarter. Only a trip to the dental hygientist will get ride of unsightly and unhealthy tarter.

Bacteria build up like plaque and tarter cause inflammation of the gums called gingivitis. If left untreated, the gingivitis will turn into periodontitis – an extremely harmful condition to your dental health and the health of your overall body. When bacteria enters your blood stream, it has access to your entire body and can cause inflammation, infection, and disease in internal organs.

You may not be aware of your gum disease because it progresses silently and often painlessly. At the age of 35, three of every four people have gum disease.

We can stop or control gum disease if we catch it early enough. Dr. Robert Holt, a periodontist with the Florida Institute for Periodontics & Dental Implants, states: “In the past, periodontal disease was just considered a mouth infection. But it's not just a mouth infection anymore. Researchers have discovered correlations between periodontal disease and chronic medical conditions. Now, more than ever, people have solid reasons for taking care of their teeth and gums.”

Preventing Oral Disease

A routine dental examination performed every six months at Northern Virginia Dental will help you catch any problems and prevent potential health problems. In every exam, we check for oral cancer, tooth decay, bone disease and more.

Consultations with Dr. Hawa may also uncover other problems, such as gum abscesses, swelling, and bone loss. All of these are signs of diabetes. Bad breath and bleeding gums are often indicators of Type 2 diabetes. A sore and painful jaw is a warning signal to older people that a heart attack is possible. Rest assured, we are always on the alert for signs of potential health risks during our examinations.

Treatment for Periodontal (Gum) Disease

We can treat gum disease and in many cases resolve it completely! At Northern Virginia Dental Arts, our experienced team offer many effective treatments. If you feel you may have gum disease, make an appointment with us today. We will give you a complete examination – clearly explaining any problems that come up and the treatment options available.

Early Warning Signs of Gum Disease

Here is a list of early warning signs, which may be caused by gum disease. Contact us immediately if you experience any of the following:

• Gums that bleed while brushing your teeth
• Gums that are red, swolle, or tender
• Pus discharging when gums are pressed
• Loose permanent teeth
• Persistent bad breath
• Dentures which don’t seem to fit right anymore

These symptoms indicate gum disease. This problem is easy to treat when caught early, so don’t wait!

Call us today at our Sterling, Virginia office: 703-444-5108.