Self Assessment For Periodontal Disease

You can check your self for the warning signs of periodontal diseases. However, you can have periodontal disease with no symptoms. In fact, most people experience no pain or symptoms until it is too late. That is why it is so important for your dental professional to include periodontal measurements as part of every dental examination. Periodontal diseases affect three out of four people at some point in life. More that half of all adults have some form of periodontal disease. Children and teenagers are also susceptible. So who should be examined for periodontal disease? EVERYONE! To see if you might be at risk for Periodontal Disease, answer questions 1 through 16 below.

1. Do your gums bleed during brushing?
Yes
No

2. Are your gums red or swollen?
Yes
No

3. Have your gums pulled away from your teeth?
Yes
No

4. Do you have persistent bad breath?
Yes
No

5. Do you notice pus between the teeth and gum?
Yes
No

6. Are your teeth loose and separating?
Yes
No

7. Has there been a change in the way your teeth fit together when
you bite?
Yes
No

8. Has there been a change in the fit of your partial dentures?
Yes
No

9. Do you have missing teeth?
Yes
No

10. Do you show too much gum when you smile?
Yes
No

11. Are some of your teeth too long or too short?
Yes
No

12. Do you smoke or chew tobacco?
Yes
No

13. Are you diabetic?
Yes
No

14. Are you under unusual stress?
Yes
No

15. Do you have heart disease?
Yes
No

16. Did your mother or father lose their teeth?
Yes
No

You should contact Dr. Zablotsky if you have any of these conditions or notice any of these symptoms. If you don’t know the state of your periodontal health, you should ask.