A better way to describe Gum Disease.

The findings of a recent study suggest that, in the opinion of susceptible patients with experience of gum disease, certain words when used to describe the disease can, somehow, generate different feelings, with some being more motivational than others.

The statements below were devised to increase the likelihood of patients fully understanding what is being said, as amongst other things, greater understanding helps allay anxiety.

• Gum disease is an infection that irreversibly destroys the bone that holds your teeth in place.

• When a significant amount of bone has been destroyed, your teeth will feel loose or wobbly.

• When insufficient bone remains to support your teeth, they will start to drift or fall out.

The above statements might not be to everyone’s liking but they are simple, short, topic-specific and to the point. They accurately reflect the seriousness of the condition. Participants in the study expressed their gratitude for the unambiguous nature of the communication.

Every one of us is born with our own unique susceptibility to the loss of the bone which holds our teeth in place. The susceptibility is only revealed if and when we don’t clean our teeth and gums adequately and plaque bacteria on the tooth surfaces and the gum margins exceed a threshold. Once the threshold has been exceeded our immune system initiates an inflammatory reaction to protect us from the chemicals being released by the plaque bacteria.  During the immune reaction our body releases chemicals in an attempt to destroy the chemicals the bacteria release into our gums. The side-effect of the chemicals our immune reaction releases is the destruction of our own bone. And, that’s what makes it a unique susceptibility.  Gum disease runs in families and some things, like, for example, smoking, and stress, and diabetes, can increase the susceptibility.