What is Gum Disease?

Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is a condition in which the gums, deeper supporting tissue, and potentially the bone surrounding teeth become infected and inflamed. Gum disease starts with plaque on the teeth, a sticky white substance that coats teeth. It's formed when bacteria in the mouth mixes with saliva and residues from starchy foods and sugar in your diet. If plaque isn't properly removed from teeth by brushing and flossing, it accumulates and hardens underneath the gumline into tartar. Once tartar builds up, it's much more difficult to remove than plaque and usually requires a cleaning at the dentist. Over time, it can lead to inflamed gums, or gingivitis. This is a mild form of gum disease. One of the most common symptoms is darker red gums that bleed with brushing or flossing. Professional cleaning can reverse gingivitis.

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Antioxidants For Periodontal Disease And Innate Defense Through The Saliva A Natural Antibiotic And Antioxidant

Since about 10 to 15 percent of adults worldwide suffer from periodontist at one time or another (1), oral health professionals are constantly challenged with treating patients for conditions that exist and help them prevent future events. Root planing, scaling, and in severe cases, surgical intervention is part of the standard treatment for periodontist, and antibiotics are used to control the infection.

However, in recent years, dental health professionals have honed in on the inflammation that accompanies periodontist. Research shows that inflammation in the mouth-particularly those associated with periodontists, may be a factor in chronic diseases like heart and vascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, complications of pregnancy, and a growing list of other conditions. The real culprit in inflammation is oxidation stress, disruption in the balance of oxidants and antioxidants. Oxidation stress is the result of excess production of free radicals, unstable molecules that attack the tissue cells to "steal" electrons from other molecules.

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