Your dentist wants you to receive the highest possible standard of care, and this is why certain conditions mean you'll be referred to a specialist. For example, when you need orthodontic work, you'll be directed to see an orthodontist. Your dentist will typically treat minor gum disease themselves, but when your gums have deteriorated to the stage that periodontal disease has been diagnosed, you'll be referred to a periodontist (a dentist who specialises in periodontics). While you're waiting for treatment, you might be wondering if your periodontal disease can affect others. Is periodontal disease actually contagious?
From Your Teeth to Your Gums
You didn't catch a periodontal disease from someone else. This is not technically possible. Your gum problems originated on your teeth, with a concentrated accumulation of harmful oral bacteria. The concentration of this bacteria would typically be largely managed with proper oral care, preventing the development of dental plaque and calculus.
Dental Cleanings
The professional dental cleanings you receive during your regular checkups also help to keep plaque and calculus at bay. But still, it's all too easy for gum inflammation (gingivitis) to develop, and without treatment, this can become periodontal disease.
Risks
When the periodontal disease goes untreated, you can actually risk losing your teeth. Your inflamed gum tissues will begin to pull away from your teeth, exposing their roots and making them more vulnerable to serious bacterial infection. As the infection spreads to the bone that anchors your teeth, your teeth may even become loose. Periodontal disease is no joke, which is why you have been referred to a specialist.
Reasonable Caution
If you're affected by periodontal disease, it's not a contagious condition in the way that many diseases are. However, you must still exercise a reasonable degree of caution. It's not that you're putting the health of your spouse, partner, or other family members at risk, and it's more the other way around. Despite this, the risk is low.
Don't Rock the Boat
You'll want to avoid introducing more bacterial contaminants to your mouth since your periodontal disease has left your gingival tissues in a compromised state. While items such as toothbrushes should never be shared, the same goes for cutlery and cups. Refrain from sharing drinks and eating food from someone else's fork or spoon. You want to minimise the spread of germs. Although the risk is extremely low, it's a case of not rocking the boat.
If your dentist refers you for specialist periodontal treatment, it's because your condition requires intensive, urgent treatment. While you can't necessarily spread your periodontal disease, you must get it treated without delay to ensure that your oral health isn't in jeopardy.
