Peter J Waidzunas, DDS, Ltd

Windsor Court I Office Centre

501 N. Riverside Dr.  Suite 119

Gurnee, Illinois, 60031

847-336-7300

gurneedental.com

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. Some signs of periodontal disease are: bleeding gums, redness of gum tissue, swelling of gums around the teeth, breath odor, receding gums and mobility of teeth. Only 50% of the population visits a dentist on a regular basis. Of that 50%, 80% have some degree of gum and bone disease. It is an epidemic. Were this any other disease, we would be calling on the CDC for immediate action!