Happy New Year! I would like to introduce myself to the Robson Ranch community. My name is Dr. Patricia Berube. I set up my shingle as a periodontist in North Denton in 2005. In our office, we treat many conditions including periodontal disease, infected teeth, infected implants, place metal and ceramic implants, and perform plastic surgical procedures to help stabilize teeth. We also diagnose and treat conditions in the mouth that are related to systemic conditions.
What does this mean? Depending on the source, many believe that anywhere from 85-95% of all systemic diseases originate in the mouth. This number is staggering! Anyone who doesn’t believe this can see this principle when you have taken antibiotics before dental visits after you have had a hip or knee replaced. This is also the reason why many surgeons need clearance from a dentist/periodontist before their procedures, as these infections can lurk in the mouth and bone and become a major causative risk for future infections in the body.
Periodontal disease has been linked to many health conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, dementia, Alzheimer’s, cancers, diabetes, respiratory disorders, high blood pressure, obesity, etc. The common denominator here is inflammation. Inflammation is at the core of most diseases we encounter in the body. The resulting periodontal disease is just one of the possible manifestations of this inflammation. Adding to that, periodontal disease is modified by immune function, bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and, again, inflammation. What is worse is that you may not know you have this condition.
I cannot overstate the importance of seeing a good dentist who regularly checks your periodontal condition. There should be no bleeding in your mouth during a cleaning or at home. Bleeding is never acceptable in the mouth and tells you something is wrong. Remember, many times the mouth will scream that there is something wrong before your body does.
At our office, we treat each person with traditional approaches but have also adopted a functional approach to help discover the root cause of your specific condition. Many times, when we address why it happened, you will start to feel better as a whole. I am excited to continue to write about the many lifestyle factors that can help keep your mouth, and in turn, your body healthy. Until we meet again.