Most importantly, you should ask your dentist about your periodontal health and what method was used to evaluate its condition. This level of participation enables you to work in a team approach with your dentist to identify subtle changes that may occur in the oral cavity. Once teeth are lost, the only treatment options are crowns, bridges or dentures. Dental implants are so natural-looking, and feeling that many patients forget they ever lost a tooth. Cavities are the number one cause of tooth loss.
Periodontal disease is the number-one cause of tooth loss.
Because gum disease is a bacterial infection, antibiotics can be used to treat it. Research demonstrates that antibiotics can be a helpful adjunct to treating periodontal disease. However, medical and dental communities are concerned about the overuse of these medications in treating infections because of the possibility of the development of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. This overuse would be detrimental to patients if they develop a life-threatening illness for which antibiotics would no longer be helpful. Pregnant women should skip professional dental checkups.