Hi Bob,

Periodontal disease is a progressive infection of the jawbone that causes severe bone loss and loosening of the teeth. There is a misconception that invasive periodontal surgery stops the progression of the disease. The problem lies with the build up of plaque along the gumline which irritates the gum tissue creating openings between the gum and tooth. The plaque seeps down into these openings and becomes infected. The infection has a variety of staph bacteria which destroy the jawbone. The teeth become loose as the bone deteriorates. This bacteria also enters the bloodstream continuously through the blood vessels in the mouth that travel to all of the major organs. It sounds to me like your periodontal disease may not have ever completely cleared up and has just gotten progessively worse over time.

In addition to the periodontal disease, any chronic illness will weaken the immune system making the perio disease more progressive and more difficult to keep at bay. Medication is also a big contrbuting factor to perio disease because it too burdens the immune system and creates an unfavorable condition in the mouth by supressing the flow of saliva. Our mouths have a built in cleaning system called saliva. Without it a condition called xerostomia.... or dry mouth occurs making us more susceptible to tooth decay and/or gum disease. Medications can also cause depletion in certain vitamins and minerals, calcium being just one of them.

I would suggest that before you undergo any periodontal treatment, that you speak with your physician and dentist about your medical and medicine history and how it relates to your oral health. Find out from the periodontist "what the factual long term prognosis is of your remaining teeth if you did have perio treatment and what type of maintenance would be involved in keeping the bacteria from progressing in the near future?" If he says your condition is severe, guarded, or hopeless, then it may not be worth going through the treatment only to lose the teeth soon anyway. One aspect that needs to be seriously considered is how this chronic infection is affecting your overall health.

I'm sorry this is not good news to hear I see alot of patients who have undergone various types of periodontal procedures in an attempt to halt the progression of the disease. It is difficult if not unrealistic to get a hold of the disease if there are too many other unhealthy contributing factors. It concerns me when people put themselves through these procedures when the long term outlook is very weak. So it's wise to find out what stage your gum disease has progressed to and if it has affected all of your teeth. Take those answers into consideration with your overall health, meds, lifestyle... and make the decision that is best suited for you.

Please let us know how things are going........ and always feel free to come back here and ask questions or discuss your concerns with us !

Bryanna