Any program designed to address your overall health and well-being should include attention to your oral health. Health conscious people all over are exercising more and eating more healthily in an effort to improve the quantity and quality of their lives. Many are aware of an increasing number of studies that link your overall health to the health of your mouth. Periodontal or gum disease is a communicable bacterial infection of the tissues of your mouth. Some studies show that the disease causing bacteria that infect the mouths of patients with gum disease can also be found coursing through the rest of their vascular system.

Other studies show that the inflammatory response that these bacteria illicit in your mouth also cause inflammation in the inner lining of blood vessels thereby narrowing your veins and arteries leading to possible heart attacks and strokes. Still other studies show that patients with periodontal disease have a higher incidence of heart attacks and strokes. The good news is that gum disease is treatable and that treatment can lower your risk of potentially deadly consequences.

Traditionally, treatment of gum disease involved surgical therapy. Dr. Acosta and many other dental professionals found that many patients fearing the discomfort and expense of surgery were electing not to address their periodontal disease and in so doing were putting themselves at risk.

In recent years a new and very effective non-surgical periodontal therapy involving lasers has been developed.

Dr. Acosta and his staff have been trained in the implementation of this new less invasive but highly effective treatment for his patients. In 2006 this course of treatment was integrated into the periodontal disease protocol for our patients.

Dr. Acosta is among the first dentists to offer this treatment which is much less uncomfortable and much less costly than the traditional therapy. Non-surgical periodontal laser therapy is not for every one but most patients can benefit greatly from this option.

If you would like to be screened for periodontal disease or would like a second opinion about treatment for periodontal disease please call our office to schedule an examination appointment. Remember that in all but the final stages of periodontal disease there can be no symptoms that you would notice. Taking this step to be screened for the presence of this serious condition can go a long way towards ensuring a happy and healthy life.

If you would like to learn more about periodontal disease and its links to your systemic health, you can visit Perio.org.

Mercury Free and Lead Free
All of our dental restorations are mercury free and lead free. In fact virtually all of our restorations are completely metal free. Recent concerns over the role of mercury in dental fillings, as it relates to patient health, has lead us to eliminate the silver/mercury fillings from our treatment protocol. All of our fillings and crowns are made of white composite or ceramics.

However, recently concerns have been raised over the amount of lead that is present in the porcelain restorations that have been outsourced to China. Many dental laboratories, in an effort to cut cost, have been sending out their crown and bridge work to be fabricated in China. However the Chinese government doesn’t have the stringent controls that the U.S. has on acceptable levels of lead in our products. Law suits are already being filed by patients who have had adverse health effects after receiving such restorations from their dentists.

Dr. Acosta is proud to say that all of our crown and bridgework is made in America and meets or exceeds all government safety guidelines.