If you think you have, or maybe you have already been diagnosed with periodontal disease, you need to do everything you can to get it under control before it causes really painful problems and wrecks your smile.

Periodontal disease begins as gingivitis that is not treated promptly or appropriately. Eventually, if left untreated, it will cause damage to the actual supporting bones that hold the teeth and the teeth will get loose and fall out. To prevent this, consistent and careful care of the teeth and gums is required along with a maintenance program put in place by your dentist.

There are several additional things besides poor oral care that are high risk factors for periodontal disease such as diabetes, smoking, hormone changes, stress, illness, and even some medications. It's not surprising to see these particular risk factors listed since almost 80% of Americans are affected to some degree by periodontal disease.

After having been diagnosed with periodontal disease, there are several treatment options, but they all center on caring for your teeth and gums. You will have to begin with a special type of cleaning called planning and scaling. The dentist or periodontist will have to administer some form of painkiller for this procedure. They use a scraping tool to go clear up under the gum line along the root to remove infection and smooth the root so there are no longer any bumps that can harbor bacteria. This procedure also removes any tartar that may have built up.

Medications are generally the next prescribed round. If your gum and bone tissue responds favorably to the medications, which may include pills, oral rinses, gel and the like, you may just need to maintain the treatment. However, sometimes there are further complications leaving surgical options such as flap surgery or bone and tissue grafts as the last remaining resort.

Whatever it takes to keep your teeth healthy is the most important. Having periodontal disease can even affect your heart, difficult pregnancies, and even blood sugar problems for people with diabetes. Take care of your teeth, and make sure your family does the same. Brush twice a day and floss once a day for a healthy and happy smile.