From the Desk of Dr. Harold Katz

Most of the time I write about bad breath. However there are other oral care issues which have to be addressed on a daily basis to make sure your mouth stays in tip top shape. As your ‘virtual dentist’ I want to cover some of these other topics in upcoming emails to make sure you are well informed about staying your healthiest.

The topic I’d like to touch on today is gum care. Do you see occasional gum bleeding when you brush?  The dreaded ‘Pink in the Sink’? Did you stop flossing because it caused extreme bleeding and irritation? Have you observed gum recession that has continued to get worse over time?  These are signs of gingivitis, and they need to be addressed quickly before becoming a serious problem.

Over time, food particles and other proteins collect in pockets between your teeth and gums. This dark, moist, food laden area becomes a great place for bacteria to live and feast. As their colonies grow and thrive, they irritate your gums and force them to recede down the tooth root. As you floss or brush the irritated gum tissue will bleed and even potentially ooze, becoming inflamed and painful. This irritated tissue will recede, causing root exposure, giving bacteria access to the root for lasting and permanent damage. Bleeding gums can even create opportunity for bacteria to get into the bloodstream leading to far more serious issues like heart disease.

Gum disease is a remarkably common condition, afflicting over forty percent of the adult population. While advanced cases do require the attention of a specialist and dental visits to properly treat, most common cases are relatively mild and can be treated easily with an over the counter medicated oral hygiene regimen. Treating gum disease before it becomes advanced is crucial, as dental treatment for neglected gums is unpleasant and extremely expensive.

I created my PerioTherapy formulas for this very reason : to treat gingivitis and gum disease before it gets out of hand and requires injections or surgery to fix. PerioTherapy uses the power of CoQ10, Tea Tree Oil, and my own proprietary and patented formulas to combat germs at the gumline and strengthen gum tissue, effectively eliminating “pink in the sink.” I perfected PerioTherapy for over a decade in my own practice before making it available to the public. Since then I have sold millions of bottles and tubes in Europe and the US to patients suffering from gum bleeding and irritation. Their reviews have been remarkable, with many patients saying not only have their gums become healthier and stronger but that their dentists have been incredibly pleased with the strides they have made since using PerioTherapy on a daily basis.

If you do suffer from gum issues such as pain, swelling, bleeding, or recession I would recommend you try PerioTherapy for yourself for 30 days. See if this patented process works as well for you as it has for the tens of thousands who are now loyal users. If you don’t see an improvement in your gums in that short time send the products back to me for a full refund.

Yours in good health,
Harold Katz, DDS

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Article: Gum Disease

 Dr Katz, America’s Bad Breath Expert, discusses what bleeding gums mean and how to get rid of gum disease.

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What Is Gum Disease? 

Gum disease, also known was periodontal disease, is an infection of the tissues and bones surrounding and supporting the teeth.  The shallow v-shaped crevice between the tooth and the gums is called a sulcus, and gum diseases attack right below the gum line in the sulcus, where it causes the tissues to break down.  The sulcus can develop into a pocket as the tissues break down.

There are two stages.  Gingivitis is reversible and milder than the periodontitis stage, since it only affects the gums.  Gingivitis generally involves having swollen, red gums that bleed easily when one flosses/brushes.  Generally it does not cause pain.  Gingivitis can turn into periodontitis, which is a much serious and destructive version of periodontal disease.  Periodontitis involves the gums pulling away from the teeth, leaving deep pockets where the bacteria can grow and damage the bone that supports the teeth.  The gums also shrink back from the teeth, and the teeth may need to be pulled out, or may become loose and fall out. 

Gum Disease Causes

People’s mouths are always creating plaque, which is a clear and sticky substance that contains bacteria.  The bacteria contains toxins that can irritate the gums and cause gum infection.  It is necessary to remove plaque from one’s teeth regularly otherwise the plaque can spread below the gums and damage the tooth-supporting bone.  Hardened plaque is known as tartar and has to be removed by a dentist/dental hygienist. 

Here are some factors that increase the risk of gum disease occurring:

-          Chewing or smoking tobacco
-          Certain medications (Steroids, some types of anti-epilepsy drugs, cancer therapy drugs, calcium channel blockers and oral contraceptives)
-          Uneven teeth
-          Bridges that do not fit properly
-          Pregnancy/hormonal changes
-          Defective fillings
-          Poor oral hygiene
-          Genetic predisposition
-          Weak immunity system, possibly caused by:
            *Excessive amounts of stress
            *Poor diet
            *Diabetes and/or other systemic diseases

Gum Disease Warning Signs

Gingivitis Symptoms

-          Gums that easily bleed
-          Tender/bright  red/swollen gums

Periodontitis Symptoms

-          Pus between teeth and gums
-          Gums pulling away from the teeth
-          Chronic bad breath/foul tastes
-          Permanent teeth that are becoming loose/separating
-          Change in the way that one’s dentures fit
-          Change in the way one’s teeth fit together when biting

How is Gum Disease Diagnosed?

An oral care expert will know to look for the following:

-          Bleeding gums
-          Plaque/tartar buildup above and below the gum line
-          Areas where the gum tissue is pulling away from the teeth
-          Growing pockets between the gums and teeth

Gum Disease Treatment

If the gum disease is mild, simply brushing, flossing, and going to the dentist regularly should be enough to get rid of it.

If the gum disease becomes worse and one has periodontitis, root planing and scaling may be in order.  This rids the mouth of plaque and tartar buildup.  Antibiotics might be recommended, and surgery could be necessary depending on how severe the disease is.

One can have periodontal disease without having any symptoms.  This makes dental visits and examinations important.  The type of treatment one should get depends on the type and severity of gum disease.  Good dental hygiene should be practiced in order to prevent the disease from occurring, becoming worse, or recurring.  Periodontal disease does not mean you will lose your teeth.  In order to maintain good oral hygiene, one should brush, floss, use mouthwash, eat a healthy diet, and schedule regular dental examinations.

Source: ADA, Web MD 

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Receding gums (commonly misspelled as receeding gums), also known as gingival recession, describes the loss of gum tissue, potentially exposing the roots of one’s teeth. It generally happens the most to people in their 40s and older, but can sometimes start in the teen years. It is one of the main indicators of periodontal disease (also known as periodontitis, gingivitis, or gum disease).

Some causes of receding gums include:

- Brushing too hard with a toothbrush that has hard bristles. This causes the enamel by the gum line to erode.
- Periodontal disease
- Lack of adequate flossing and/or brushing. This allows bacteria / tartar buildup, which results in enzymes eating away the bone of your teeth
- Chewing tobacco. This affects the mucus membrane lining in the oral cavity and causes receding gums over a certain amount of time
- Bruxism (teeth grinding)
- Adult orthodontic moving of the teeth
- Lip or tongue piercings can wear away the part of the gum that rubs against them
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), an ingredient that is in most toothpastes
- An uncommon cause is an adult tooth not growing out of the right place in the gum

It usually takes time for the gums to recede, and can often remain unnoticed. Some receding gums symptoms include the following:

- The teeth may be sensitive to hot, cold, sweet, sour, and spicy sensations. This is possibly because the dentin tubules might be exposed to external stimuli.
- Teeth may look longer than normal.
- Roots of the teeth may be seen.
- Tooth may feel notched at the gum line
- Teeth discoloration (due to the difference between the color of the enamel and cementum)
- Spaces appear between teeth due to the gums not being there anymore
- Cavities below gum line

NOTE: If receding gums are caused by gingivitis, you may also have these symptoms:
- Swollen/inflamed, red, or puffy gums
- Gum bleeding while brushing or flossing
- Bad breath

If you are having the aforementioned problems, you should try the PerioTherapy product line!

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Is Gingivitis Contagious?

Gum disease / periodontal disease is a bacteria infection in the gums and bone area around your teeth.  Researchers have employed DNA techniques to track the path of infection between people.  How contagious it is depends on how susceptible a person is to getting the disease. 

Saliva contact is possible in settings like kissing, coughing, sneezing, sharing food (a cup, glass, etc.).

Studies by Canadian scientists showed that gingivitis is contagious with a transmission rate of between 30-70%.  It is believed that the periodontal bacteria can be transferred between partners during a kiss.  However, just because the bacteria is transmitted, does not mean that gum disease will occur, based on each individual’s immune systems.   It also depends on how often the person is exposed to infected saliva. 

Periodontal infections can be a serious problem because they are responsible for 75% of all adult tooth loss.  Unfortunately, peridontal disease also increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteroporosis, respiratory diseases, and pre-term low birth weight infants.

How do you avoid catching or spreading gingivitis?

1. Complete recommended periodontal treatments.  This destroys or reduces the bacteria causing the disease.
2. Frequent periodontal cleaning dental visits.  This reduces the risk of being re-infected.
3. Have everyone in your family screened if there is a genetic predisposition to getting the disease.

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http://www.periotherapy.com   Make sure to keep your gums and teeth healthy during pregnancy. If gingivitis is left unchecked, it may lead to more serious gum disease.

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http://www.therabreath.com/productdetail.asp?cat=2&pid=287 A person with diabetes is at a much greater risk for gum / periodontal disease than a person who does not have diabetes.

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Gum Disease, Receding Gums, and Bleeding Gums

The causes and cures of bleeding gums, gum disease, gingivitis, and periodontal disease. These problems often lead to much more severe problems like heart attacks and strokes.

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The Hydro Floss®: “A One-Time Investment for a Lifetime of Health & Confidence” – Reduces Tartar and Bacterial Buildup!

 Now you can get to the real source of gum disease, bleeding gums, and bad breath, by using the HydroFloss with Aktivoxigen Serum!

The HydroFloss combines Magneto- hydrodynamics with oral irrigation. By reversing the polarity of the ions at the molecular level, the HydroFloss inhibits the anerobic bacteria’s ability to attach to the tooth/root surface, before they reach a critical mass (which means the beginning of periodontal disease, gingivitis, and bad breath!).

What’s the difference between the HydroFloss and other water irrigation devices? The HydroFloss uses magnetic technology to “pull” plaque, tartar, and bacterial debris off enamel and out from below the gumline.

Here’s a simple explanation on how the HydroFloss provides the highest level of oral hygiene, particularly when used together with AktivOxigen or PerioTherapy Products. Since most of the bacteria are doing their dirty work below the gumline, the only way to attack the cause of the problem is to get into their environment. These anaerobic bacteria (related to the ones that cause bad breath) can easily get under the gumline and between the teeth which can cause periodontal disease and gingivitis. Once they are there, they start to reproduce rapidly and will immediately create plaque in the presence of sugars and other types of food (usually proteins in dairy foods, meat, chicken, fish, etc.).

The sulfur compounds that they produce have a chemical effect on the gum tissue which allows it to become porous and allows other toxins to get under the gums. Once these toxins get into this area, they start to cause gingivitis, periodontal disease, bone loss, loose teeth, and eventually the loss of teeth. This degrading process can be prevented by using the HydroFloss together with Dr Katz’s AktivOxigen or PerioTherapy products. The water/AktivOxigen solution that shoots through the HydroFloss tip becomes “magnetized.”

Plaque is very sticky, but scientifically it attaches tightly to the enamel and roots of your teeth through positive and negative charges. The magnetized water/PeriO2 solution hits the plaque & literally blasts it off the teeth by reversing the polarity at the enamel surface. Nothing else can do this. Once PerioTherapy is blasted under the gumline it will have an oxygenating effect on the bacteria & prevent them from producing the sulfur compounds which started the whole process in the first place.

As periodontal disease progresses, bleeding and sloughing of oral tissue continues, providing a food source for the anaerobic bacteria to produce more sulfur compounds. It then becomes physically impossible to clean below the gum line. That’s where the HydroFloss comes in. To be used properly, we recommend one capful of TheraBreath Oral Rinse to be added to the water trough of the HydroFloss. The oxidizing effect of the TheraBreath formula destroys the bacteria’s ability to break down the proteins and create the sulfur compounds.

Click here to check out the HydroFloss!

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Links Between Gum Disease and Other Diseases:

(Click on image above to view full size)

PerioTherapy combines the finest clinically effective compounds that work synergistically to attack the true cause of gum disease (periodontal disease) and bad breath. Recent research in Europe and the U.S. have proven a link between an increase in oral sulfur compounds (from bad breath), which initiate gum disease and bleeding gums (open wounds in your mouth).  Scarily enough, these open bleeding sites allow other dangerous toxins to enter the body’s blood stream.

The PerioTherapy System was designed for those who suffer with bleeding and swollen gums whether they have bad breath or not. There is a strong relationship between gum disease and bad breath, because volatile sulfur compounds (found in bad breath) are needed to initiate the penetration of dangerous toxins below the gum line to start periodontal disease. This new research supports our work in finding a non-surgical treatment for gum disease.

The synergy of these compounds has produced PerioTherapy:

PeriO2: The active ingredient in PerioTherapy releases potent oxygen molecules when in contact with these sulfur compounds. Immediately, a chemical conversion takes place that eliminates them safely and effectively. Once the thiols (sulfur compounds) are reduced, their initiation of allowing toxins into the blood stream disappears.

Whole Leaf Aloe Vera: This is not your ordinary aloe vera. It is specially grown for us in green houses to maintain its high concentration of pharmaceutical level elements. As everyone knows even plain aloe vera has been used to stop bleeding as a natural healing agent for thousands of years. Tests performed at a large metropolitan hospital on PerioTherapy’s form of whole leaf aloe vera indeed confirm its healing highly beneficial qualities. We use the highest concentration of whole leaf aloe vera in the World! (Do not be fooled by imitators!)

Tea Tree Oil: This is the secret ingredient in many natural medications. Tea tree oil is extracted through a complicated process from the leaves of an Australian tree. Physicians in the southern hemisphere have turned to the melalucca plant because the overuse of antibiotics has rendered formerly effective prescription medications useless. Properly formulated tea tree oil has been used in many cases as an anti-bacterial agent, when even the strongest antibiotics have failed. Our pharmaceutical grade tea tree oil initiates a healing response in sore, swollen, bleeding gums.

Zinc Gluconate: Zinc is the natural enemy of bacteria. It wasn’t until very recently that laboratories decided to use this very pleasant version of zinc (as opposed to nasty tasting zinc acetate or the astringent zinc chloride which burns the inside of your mouth). You may recognize this ingredient as the one that is used in many common cold medications – why?  It works!

Fluoride: We have added sodium fluoride to our PerioGel for two very good reasons: 1) It stops the decay process and 2) It helps to desensitize teeth with root exposure, a common symptom of gum disease.

So what’s wrong with commercial products?  A LOT is wrong!!  First of all, if they truly worked, why is there an epidemic of gum disease in the U.S.? – (where everyone constantly brushes, rinses, and gargles with the following ingredients!)

Here’s just a few of the chemicals that are thrown into the mix of the most commonly used products:

Soap: Yes, there is soap in toothpaste. It is known chemically as sodium lauryl sulfate (check out your shampoo bottle and you’ll see it listed near the top of ingredients.) Soap as everyone knows is very drying. Consequently, it will end up producing more of these sulfur compounds. Why is soap placed in toothpaste (it’s even in the so-called “natural” Tom’s of Maine – It’s put there to make it foam up. The big companies think you are stupid and that you won’t brush your teeth unless you see FOAM! It has no other use and of course, our PerioGel does not contain soap.

Saccharin: Nearly every toothpaste on the market contains saccharin to sweeten the product. Saccharin has been shown time and again to cause cancer in lab animals. PerioGel does not contain saccharin. We use a natural non-sugar sweeteners. Did you know that Crest toothpaste for Kids contains saccharin?  Would you give saccharin to your children? Of course not!  Then why do you let them brush their teeth with it (and possible swallow some, too!)?

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