The Importance of Dental Exams in Ft. Lauderdale: Assessing Your Risk of Periodontal

Disease, PART 2 This article, part 2 of 2, provides a questionnaire to aid in the identification of people who are at a higher risk of developing gum disease. A Brief Review In our last blog post, we provided the first five questions of a test designed to determine your risk of either developing gum disease or of already having it. The purpose of this questionnaire is to encourage people who might not know that their oral and general health are at risk, to receive dental exams in Ft. Lauderdale that will determine what the best course of treatment is. Gum disease caught in its early stages can quite easily be treated. Left without professional attention, patients begin to suffer a myriad of unpleasant symptoms, many of which require expensive and invasive procedures to fix. So, if you haven’t already completed the first five questions, then do so before proceeding. At the end of this article, you will – from your score - be able to determine whether you promptly require dental exams in Ft. Lauderdale.

6. Do you floss every day? - Yes: 0 points - No: 1 point

Flossing is an integral part of a good oral hygiene routine, yet dental exams in Ft. Lauderdale regularly reveal that more than 80% of all Americans rely on brushing alone to keep their pearly whites healthy. Flossing is extremely important in helping to reduce your risk of developing gum disease.

7. Have you visited your dentist or gone for dental exams in Ft. Lauderdale in the last

two years?

- Yes: 0 points - No: 1 point

Only regular dental exams in Ft. Lauderdale (www.drklevine.com) can reveal evidence of gum disease in its early stages. If you have not seen the inside of a dental office in more than two years – whether you present with any of the afore-mentioned symptoms or not – then it is of the utmost importance that you do so; and as soon as possible.

8. Do you suffer from any of the following health conditions: diabetes, osteoporosis,

heart disease, osteopenia or high stress? - Yes: 2 points - No: 0 points

Medical research has shown an intimate link to exist between these potentially fatal diseases and acute and chronic bacterial infections of the gums.

9. Have you had any teeth extracted as a result of gum disease? - Yes: 2 points - No: 0 points

If you have a history of gum disease or have previously had a tooth extracted as a result of an unchecked bacterial infection, then you should go for regular dental exams in Ft. Lauderdale to be certain that your condition has been properly treated and hasn’t reoccurred.

10. Has anyone in your family suffered from gum disease that you know of? - Yes: 1 point - No: 0 points

Your genetic heritage says a lot about your risk of developing this terrible oral affliction.

Your Results… The entire questionnaire consists of 10 questions and a maximum score of 16. If your results are 0 or close to 0, then you probably don’t have gum disease, although only dental

exams in Ft. Lauderdale will be able to reveal this for certain. Anything over 3 (depending upon which questions you attained these points from) warrants concern. Scores over 10 require immediate dental exams in Ft. Lauderdale to determine the appropriate course of treatment for your evidently ailing oral health (www.drklevine.com).