It is not necessarily true that we automatically lose teeth when we age. If you maintain proper oral hygiene and attend frequent oral examinations and professional teeth cleanings, the chances are favorable for you to keep your natural teeth for as long as you live.
That entails not only taking care of the teeth but the structures that are surrounding them as well (tooth-supporting bone and gums). Gum disease that is a bacterial infection can threaten your supporting tissues.
This is why dentists are always checking for early signs that patients can easily overlook. When the symptoms become evident, periodontal therapy might be suggested. Periodontal treatment can take on different forms, but the aim is always to reinstate diseased tissues to health.
Periodontal (gum) disease can extend from the gums to the bones that are supporting the teeth, which may lead to tooth loss in severe instances. There are highly efficient therapies to help combat this, ranging from deep cleanings (scalings) that remove calculus (tartar) and plaque from underneath the gum line, to surgical repair of lost bone and gum disease.
