Periodontal disease affects more Australians than you think. A lot of people don’t even know they have it. The initial stages of periodontal disease is painless, presenting only with bad breath or slight bleeding when brushing. If left untreated, patients may only become aware of their periodontal disease when a tooth or several teeth become painful or mobile. There is significant research to show a link between periodontal disease and other serious health conditions such as Stroke, Heart Disease, Diabetes and even Arthritis. Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection in the gums which causes the supporting jaw bone around teeth to be destroyed. While the affected bone cannot regenerate, removing the bacterial cause can help to control the infection and minimise further bone loss. Treatment of this disease is dependent on excellent home dental care (brushing and flossing) as well as regular professional cleans, to remove hard build up and the bacteria where the toothbrush cannot reach. In some cases patients will be referred to a periodontist for further treatment.