Don't be haunted by a toothless grin

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Feb, 2005

Whether it is Valentine's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Halloween, the trick to enjoying the treats is brushing and flossing teeth and gums after eating candy, cake, cookies, or any other holiday snack. This will help to prevent the onset of periodontal diseases.

"Maintaining a healthy mouth is not just a matter of a pretty smile," stresses Michael R Rethman, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, Chicago. "Research shows that nearly one in three U.S. adults aged 30 to 54 and 50% of adults aged 55 to 90 have some form of periodontitis, or more advanced stages of the disease."

Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth. As the disease destroys gum tissue and bone, teeth can become loose and may have to be re moved. Warning signs include persistent bad breath; gums that bleed when teeth are brushed; red, swollen, and bleeding gums; loose or separating teeth; gums that have pulled away from teeth; pus between the gum and tooth; and a change in the way teeth fit together when biting.

"The good news is patients no longer have to be haunted by toothless smiles because dental implants are a tooth replacement option," says Rethman. "A dental implant is an artificial tooth root placed into the jaw to hold a replacement tooth, bridge, or denture in place."

Some implants take two to six months for the bone and implant to bond together to form anchors. During this time, a removable temporary tooth replacement can be worn over the implant site. Research also has advanced to where an implant can be placed immediately following tooth extraction.