Periodontal Disease — Silent and Deadly

Periodontal disease can go on for years without pain and without detection unless specific examination procedures are performed.

Visual oral examination by itself (even by a dentist) will not reliably detect periodontal disease until it has reached an advanced stage. Early detection and adequate diagnosis require measurement of pockets (the crevice between the tooth and gum) with a periodontal probe. Effective prevention and treatment is available, but the damage caused as the disease progresses is irreversible.

Early detection and treatment is critical to prevent tooth loss and disfigurement. Although the procedure is simple, painless and requires only a few minutes, millions of American adults have never had it done.

Signs of periodontal disease include bleeding gums, pus draining into your mouth, redness of gum tissue, swelling of gums around the teeth, breath odor, receding gums, and mobility of teeth.

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