As you’ve probably gathered from our website, gum disease awareness is something we are concerned with 24/7, 365 days a year. That doesn’t mean it isn’t important to observe that February is Gum Disease Awareness (GDA) Month, now going into its sixth year. GDA is now recognized in all 50 U.S. states, as well as the territories of Guam and the Virgin Islands. Here are the top three reasons why it’s so important that you and everyone else know why this distinction came to be in the first place — and what you can do to keep the momentum going.

 

  • Gum disease is criminally undertreated. Some 85% of U.S. adults have some form of gum disease. If 85% of U.S. adults had some form of cancer, it would be considered a national crisis. Why do so few people seem concerned? Part of it probably has to do with the fact that gum disease rarely has symptoms that people think of as painful or even noticeable. The fact of the matter, though, is that maintaining natural teeth has shown ties to extending your lifespan. Your teeth can only stay put for the long haul if they have healthy gum tissue surrounding them. So just because you don’t necessarily see the havoc gum disease is wreaking on your mouth doesn’t mean it’s not happening. More people need to be aware so that we can get this epidemic under control. Share signs and symptoms with your friends and family.
  • Teeth aren’t the only thing you have to lose when it comes to gum disease. Research seems to be coming out by the day about the impact gum disease has on the rest of your health. With connections to heart disease, stroke, cancer, pre-term birth, Alzheimer’s and many more, your oral health should not be something to take lightly.
  • There are new methods available to treat gum disease that make it easier and virtually painless. Many people who find out they have gum disease are reluctant to treat it because they have either undergone painful gum disease surgery in the past or know somebody who has. What they may not know, however, is that there is a treatment method using lasers that is minimally invasive, involves very little pain and healing time, and they will be walking, talking and going about their daily lives within hours. The LANAP protocol has been shown to be just as effective as traditional osseous gum disease surgery, and patients overwhelmingly prefer it.

Now that you have some grasp on why the entire country is on board with Gum Disease Awareness Month, check out our Awareness page to get familiar with what you can do in your own community to help spread the word about gum disease, its dangers, and how easy it is to get it treated.