Dental Inflammation – What are the Consequences?
Over the past months, we have given you quite some information about gum disease and dental inflammation and the risks involved for your health. There are some aspects though, that we feel you should be aware of so you can take the necessary steps to protect your health.
Following is an excerpt from a webinar featuring Dr. Vladimir Gashinsky and board-certified naturopathic physician, nutritionist and lifestyle counselor Dr. Glenn Gero explaining the dangers of dental inflammation.
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| Dr. Vladimir Gashinsky | Dr. Glenn Gero |
Inflammation has two faces: it can be acute or chronic.
Acute Inflammation
An acute inflammation can begin within seconds, but it could also manifest itself up to 72 hours after an injury. For example, you can injure yourself in a sports activity and, because of the adrenaline response during that event, you may not feel it for a day or two or maybe even three days. Still, that is an acute injury. If untreated, that injury may last anywhere from a day to two, possibly up to three months.
An acute dental inflammation can occur when, for example, you cut the gums in your mouth when eating something sharp. This would be an acute injury. You just hit something hard on your teeth. We don’t see too often an acute dental injury, although it can occur rather easily. Dental inflammation is usually chronic, can last for years and really affects your body. These are the types of inflammations that contribute towards a myriad of diseases including cancer, arthritis, auto immune diseases and diabetes.
Chronic Inflammation
This type of inflammation is a slow but deadly process. It can start with a simple gum infection, manifesting in some bleeding in the mouth. Most people don’t think much about this and just rinse their mouth and get on with life. However, in dental terms, here’s where the fire has started and will spread into more and more areas until you are really feeling sick. And it’s a fire that is constantly fueled and can lead to serious health problems.
For example, diabetes is factually an inflammatory cascade. Since there’s not necessarily any pain associated with diabetes – it’s considered a “silent killer.” High blood pressure, which is an inflammation within the arterial vessels, is another “painless” silent killer. And because there’s no pain, many people just continue working and living without noticing the menace that threatens them. And what’s more, they will not easily make the connection between their bleeding gums and the resulting diabetes or other serious diseases.
What to do?
In our practice, we have helped literally thousands of patients overcome gum disease and lead healthier lives. We are acutely aware of the first symptoms of gum disease and we have developed ways and means to detect the beginnings of inflammation in the mouth, even if that inflammation hasn’t surfaced yet. We use powerful microscopes to detect bacteria and pathogens that could start the fire in your mouth, so we can prevent that fire from igniting. A simple exam by Dr. Gashinsky will give a detailed map of the conditions in your mouth.
Taking it from there, we use holistic state-of-the-art procedures to overcome gum disease which already may have developed and, on top of that, we advise our patients on preventive measures, healthy diets and dental hygiene.
