Periodontal disease is one of the most destructive and devastating oral health conditions that can develop in a patient’s lifetime. This disease can destroy bone, gums, and teeth. Moreover, retaining wisdom teeth can increase a patient’s risk for develop periodontal (gum) disease. This is because wisdom teeth rarely erupt through the gums properly and instead tend to become impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth may partially erupt, leaving the gum tissue surrounding the tooth prone to inflammation and irritation. As a preventive measure, our oral surgeon surgically extracts the entire wisdom tooth, which can protect patients against developing gum disease along with other conditions like abscesses and orthodontic issues.
Wisdom Teeth and Gum Health
Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, come through the gums during adulthood. This means that they emerge years after adult teeth have replaced baby teeth. Since third molars erupt so much later in life, they rarely have enough room to come through the gums upright. Instead, they emerge sideways or partially erupted. Partial eruption means that only a portion of the tooth, such as a cusp, comes through the gums, which leaves the rest of the tooth submerged. With just part of the biting surface of the tooth exposed, debris and bacteria tend to collect near and underneath the gums. Partial eruption also makes keeping the tooth and surrounding gingival tissue clean very difficult. All of these factors contribute to the development of periodontal disease.
Facts about Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease can wreck a person’s health. If this condition goes untreated, it advances and once it reaches a progressive stage, it will weaken the bond between teeth and gums and ultimately lead to tooth loss. Additionally, advanced periodontal disease involves a systemic and chronic infection that can enter the blood stream and complicate general wellbeing.
Having your wisdom teeth removed is a wise investment in your oral health. Our oral surgeon has immeasurable experience extracting problematic teeth. We deliver top-notch oral healthcare as gently and comfortably as possible.
Call our practice today to reserve an appointment, or to find out more about this procedure.
