What Role Does Age Play In the Treatment of Periodontal Disease?
By John Mecca | Published on March 3, 2011 | 0 Comments
Despite what many people think, the reality is that age does not play nearly as much of a role in the development of periodontal disease as overall health. According to Dr. John D. Mecca, D.D.S. PC, a family dentist in Utica, New York, the overall health of a patient is a far better determining factor than age when it comes to periodontal disease.
Dr. Mecca notes that he does understand how the misconception got started. For the most part, age and health tend to go hand in hand, with older people struggling to stay in good overall health more so than younger people.
In addition to overall health, Dr. Mecca says, other factors that are known to lead to the development of periodontal disease include smoking, prescription medications, and diabetes. Diabetes in particular can make curing a person’s periodontal disease somewhat tricky, since people with diabetes tend to not heal as well as otherwise healthy individuals.
As a family dentist in Utica, Dr. Mecca explains that anyone who has a disease that makes healing difficult is going to have a tough time recovering from periodontal disease. People with such conditions typically do not respond to basic periodontal treatments, and must oftentimes resort to more substantial treatments in order to get rid of their periodontal disease. In some cases, that could mean surgical intervention. Luckily, Dr. Mecca says, it is rare for a patient who comes into his office in Utica to need such an invasive procedure. As a family dentist, Dr. Mecca says that most patients with periodontal disease will start off with non-surgical treatments, the most common of which is root planing and scaling.
What many people do not realize about periodontal disease is that it is not an all or nothing condition. Because periodontal disease is a bacterial infection, Dr. Mecca says that a person can have periodontal disease in certain areas of his mouth without necessarily having it throughout his entire mouth. To determine how serious and invasive a person’s condition has become, a dentist must first take some basic measurements. Once those measurements have been taken, it is generally easier to determine how much work a patient needs to have done to get rid of the infection once and for all.
For the most part, Dr. Mecca says, scaling and root planing is the option that works best for patients with periodontal disease and tartar buildup. Through this procedure, a dentist like himself can create a more favorable surface for the gums to re-attach to the tooth.
Although age does play a role in the development of nearly every type of disease and infection, it is not the leading cause of periodontal disease. According to Dr. Mecca, people who take good care of their teeth by not smoking and maintaining proper oral hygiene may be able to avoid periodontal disease, no matter how old they happen to be.
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.