“Do I have infection in my mouth?” is a frequently asked question in the dental field.  If you have decay, gum disease, or other mouth problems, you have infection.  Furthermore, infection in one part of your body is infection in your entire body.  Your blood circulates from head to foot and back again in less than 90 seconds.  Physicians are less likely to do surgery on patients today unless their mouth is free from infection.  It seems to be a case of “out of sight – out of mind”!

“It doesn’t hurt” is a common statement made by many patients.  My answer is “neither does cancer in the early stages”.  Decay usually gives you early warning signs.  Holes in your teeth or a twinge of pain are common indications of problems.  In the case of decay – this pain reoccurs with increased frequency and intensity until dental treatment is obtained.  The cost of treatment at this latter stage is much greater than it would have been earlier.

“I just need my teeth cleaned” is a common statement.   Actually, the patient should be doing the “cleaning” daily.  The hygienist main job is to treat accompanying gum problems, although teeth do get cleaned as a result of treatment.  Gum infection is more insidious, meaning it is harder for the patient to detect.  If your gums bleed when you brush, are red and swollen, pull away from your teeth, have pus and/or others tell you that you have bad breath; then you have gum infection.  Unfortunately, pain with gum infections is usually moderate, therefore patients choose to do little or nothing until forced to do so.  At this latter stage the treatment can be more complex and the cost can be greater.  Routinely having an exam, x-rays, and regular gum treatment will save the patient time and money – not to mention, the pain.  Your home skills, your time between your appointments and your genetic history, all determine the interval and extent of your ‘cleaning’ or gum treatment.

Dentists have come a long way from becoming a mechanic of the mouth to a physician of the mouth.  We only hope that patients will become more aware of infection in the mouth and its effects on the entire body.

Thanks for listening,

Dr. Ron Holman