Long Island Gum Disease and Depression: What's the Impact?

You have the not so best of both worlds, Long Island gum disease and depression. As you prepare for your first appointment with a Periodontist you fight off anxiety and overwhelm of the task ahead of you. You stand at your front door wondering if it’s normal to feel this concerned and whether you’ll be able to meet the demands of treatment.

According to a study published in the Journal of Periodontology your feelings of overwhelm are common with periodontal patients who also suffer from depression. In fact it is believed that these feelings of overwhelm may be the leading cause for less than optimal results when treating patients with depression.

This study monitored 697 patients with 85 of them being diagnosed with some type of depression. Each patient had at least three diseased sites in the mouth with an equivalent depth. The patients were monitored from the initial evaluation until the follow-up one-year later. The results showed that 7.4 percent of mentally healthy patients showed improvement where only 4.7 percent of the depressed patients showed improvement.

Gum disease begins with plaque build-up along the gum line. As the disease progresses it leads to deep pockets exposing the tooth root. This will eventually lead to tooth decay and possibly missing teeth. The more advanced the disease is the more commitment required for success. For patients suffering from depression this can seem like an unobtainable goal.

This doesn’t mean that patients with depression can’t beat gum disease. In fact with proper adjustments to care they can have the same results as any other patient. The trick is discussing your circumstances with your Periodontist so that appropriate adjustments can be made. Treatment of gum disease, especially at advanced stages, is often extensive and requires a commitment from both the patient and the Periodontist. By working close together you’ll soon see the results you’re after.

If you’re faced with the overwhelming task of fighting Long Island gum disease don’t let the treatment add to your anxiety. Contact Dr. Scharf at (631) 661-6633 or visit him on the web at http://drscharf.com. He can treat gum disease with a laser rather than a scalpel providing you with a calm more relaxing treatment.