Periodontics and Nutrition

Hi everyone!

Today we wanted to do another great article from the Center for Dental Medicine website. They have some very interesting articles that we just love to share! This one talks about the connection between nutrition and periodontal disease. Hope you enjoy!

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The Nutrition Connection - Supporting the body's defense system
By Marcus Gitterle, MD
A famous doctor once told me that “Medicines, such as antibiotics don’t cure you; They just reduce the level of harmful bacteria to the point where your own immune system can take over”.
The immune system is the body's defense against infectious organisms and other invaders. Through a series of steps called the immune response, the immune system attacks organisms and substances that invade our systems and cause disease. The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body. As we age, the body is less able to assimilate the nutrients required to maintain an optimal immune system and it is more necessary to make sure that our diet contains fruits and vegetables and that we take the right supplements. We have heard much about anti-oxidants that prevent cell oxidation and lower the occurrence of disease, aging and even cancer. They are important supporters of the immune system.
As we have noted, periodontal disease is much more common among 60 year olds than 20 year olds, even though 60 year olds are more dental savvy and probably brush better. The difference is likely in the body’s ability to fight off the attacks of bacteria and chemicals.
Recent research at Loma Linda University showed that a nutritional supplement alone (Pharmaden), without any other dental treatment, was able to significantly combat the effects of periodontal disease, lowering bleeding and pocket depths (19).
The key ingredients in the supplement were Grapeseed Extract, CoQ10 (Ubiquanone), Echinacea and Folic Acid. It is valuable to examine these elements because several are not normally found in your daily multi-vitamin.

Grapeseed Extract
One of the mysteries of medical research was why the French and Italians, who drank red wine were so healthy even though they had a pasta heavy or fat laden diet. We later found that it was not from the alcohol, but because of compounds found in red grapes called proanthocyanidins.
Grapeseed Extract (also called Venis Vinifera) contains this nutrient and is a powerful antioxidant with 20 to 50 times the power of Vitamin C or Vitamin E. Grapeseed Extract is a favorite for Naturopaths, the branch of healthcare that focuses on treatment using natural products rather than drugs. GSE has been found by these doctors to be a natural anti-histamine thereby counteracting allergies without drowsiness, a natural anti-inflammatory useful against arthritis and CRP, and beneficial for skin problems. Also, it improves the circulatory system.
In its particular application to periodontal treatment, Grape Seed Extract prevents bacteria from colonizing in the gum tissues and on the teeth and prevents the aggression of destructive enzymes. The anti-oxidant action also destroys free- radicals that attack the gum tissue.
Echinacea
Echinacea has been used as a home remedy for colds and flu. For treatment of periodontal disease it inhibits enzymes that break down tissue.

CoQ10 - (Ubiquanone)
CoQ10 improves the healing response. It is vital to all natural processes including the production of cellular energy, immune system function, heart function and blood pressure. It is used in medicine for treatment of congestive heart failure, neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and cancer treatment through tumor suppression. During pregnancy a woman makes 50% more CoQ10 than normal, aiding the development of the placenta. Special warning for those on statin drugs: statin drugs lower the body’s production of CoQ10 - It is important to supplement with CoQ10 if you are on statin drugs.

Folic Acid
Folic Acid ensures normal development of gum tissue. It binds to endotoxins, the by-products that are generated from bacteria and renders them neutral.
Taking adequate quantities of these supplements can prevent you from getting periodontal disease in the first place, if taken during treatment will aid healing, and if continued after treatment will prevent recurrence of the disease.
Always remember a good healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables (8 servings a day) plus daily exercise are vital for healthy immune system function.
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Enjoy the rest of your week everyone!
Richard Stickney DDS PS

Periodontics and the Connection with Laser

Hello everyone and happy Thursday!

Today's post comes from an interesting article on the Center for Dental Medicine website. The focus of this program is to help educate patients and doctors alike in how periodontal problems have strong connections to diseases like heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.

This article talks about how we can use laser therapy to help improve results when treating periodontal disease.

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The Laser Connection –Toward a Kinder, Gentler, Periodontal Treatment
by Robert J. Schulhof, AB, MA Math Statist.
Until recently the only periodontal therapy available was deep cleanings and in more advanced cases, surgery. More recently, antibiotics were added to kill the bacteria. Such treatment made a lasting impression on those who went through it. However, the periodontal disease often came back again, creating the belief that the disease can never be "cured." The good news is that with the advance of laser gum surgery and gum treatment, and our understanding of the disease, laser periodontal treatment can be accomplished painlessly, quickly, and with your cooperation, can be kept in remission.
At each appointment, we will perform a typically painless gum disease laser "decontamination" which includes tracing the laser around the gumline of each tooth quickly, killing the bad (anaerobic) bacteria. It has been shown that laser decontamination is more effective than antibiotics. In addition, there are no strains of bacteria resistant to lasers (16). Periodontal laser surgery and treatment does not create resistances to medicines you may need some day and they do not suppress your immune system as antibiotics can.
We will then send you home with your special oral hygiene products, rinse and nutritional supplements. When you return the next week for your first deep cleaning you will be in much better shape, have less bleeding and sweeter smelling breath.
At the next appointment you may receive some topical anesthetic to avoid any possible discomfort. Periodontal disease laser treatment, followed by the use of a special gentle scaler, will occur in order to make sure your roots are clean. It is only when the roots are decontaminated that the gums can re-attach to the roots of the teeth. We will then use the laser to go around each pocket to vaporize the diseased tissue and treat the roots to allow better growth of new tissue and bone (18). Pocket depth will normally decrease by 1mm per visit. We will perform a refreshing irrigation of the tissue and then your visit is complete. The laser actually helps minimize the discomfort of the cleaning and you should feel fine the next day. You may have two to four of these visits, depending upon the depth of the original pockets and how your tissue responds.

If you have advanced pockets of 6mm or more you may have a few more painless visits where only the laser is used. This whole process should take no more than a month or two, after which you continue with your home care until your first periodontal maintenance visit (PMT) where your progress will be measured. This process will work 90% of the time for moderate cases of the disease, defined by 4-7 mm pockets. Deeper pockets can exist because of diseased teeth, broken down restorations and poor bite relationships. Bone grafting, soft tissue grafting and other more costly treatments might be required.
The Benefits of Treatment
Recent research has shown that laser treatment for gum disease will do more than save your teeth and sweeten your breath. It may be the best way to reduce your CRP (21), lower a factor called "glycated hemoglobin"(HbA1c) which can reduce the risk of diabetes, (4) and, if you are diabetic, greatly increase your life expectancy (5). If you are an expectant mother it can reduce your chance of a pre-term birth by a factor of 7 (6).
Costs
Our unique non-surgical laser treatment for periodontal disease protocol will be less costly and less painful than traditional periodontal surgery or even your co-pay on a one-day stay in the hospital. Since periodontal disease is now recognized as a systemic infection it is likely that in the future your medical insurance would cover some or all of the costs of periodontal treatment. In the meantime, you can be assured that the protocol we have developed will be a worthwhile investment in your total health as well as your dental health.
Get Checked and Get Tested
The first step is to come see us for a complete periodontal examination and if you do have periodontal disease, to have an hs-CRP test to assess your risk of heart attack and stroke and an HbA1c test to see if you are in danger of becoming a diabetic.

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We've been using our laser for periodontal therapy for a while now, but are ever more motivated to be using it with every patient coming to us with periodontal problems.

To check out more articles such as this, please visit centerfordentalmedicine.com.

Hope you all have a great day!
Richard Stickney DDS PS