• Over 50 million Americans are missing one or more natural teeth

• 10% of the U. S. adult population are missing all of their teeth (accounting for 18 million)
• 63% of adults are missing more than one tooth; for those over age 65, this jumps to 98%
• People without teeth die at an age that is ten years younger than those with teeth

Periodontal (gum) disease is the number one cause of adult tooth loss in the country. The bacteria build-up of gum disease enters the bloodstream, activating white blood cells to release harmful clotting factors and proteins. Research has linked gum disease bacteria with heart disease, diabetes, stroke, preterm babies, and memory loss. It also indicates 30% of the population may be genetically susceptible to gum disease.
Findings show the bacteria which causes periodontal disease can be passed from one person to another through saliva. This means infected adults can transfer the bacteria to a mate or child by kissing or sharing food or beverages.

Like other diseases that form in the body, gum disease begins silently.

When symptoms become obvious, they include bad breath,bleeding gums, soreness in the mouth, and gum recession. Often, symptoms are assumed to be temporary, enabling the disease to progress. If you know someone who has symptoms or may need evaluation, please urge them to contact us at our Metro Detriot Cosmetic Dental Office at their earliest convenience.

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 28th, 2009 at 11:16 am and is filed under Cosmetic Dentist, Your Health, dentist shelby twp. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.