Health

Treating Gum Disease

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

January 31, 2002 / 8:40 AM EST / CBS

Gum disease will affect three out of every four adults at some point in their lives. While surgery is among the most common ways to fight the disorder, CBS 2’s Paul Moniz reports that it is neither the only or most effective treatment available.

For nearly a decade, 40-year-old Melissa Broder has waged an all out battle against the bacteria that has invaded her mouth.

"I did everything I could at home — flossing, brushing my teeth after every meal and I still would find every year I was having surgery," said Broder, who suffers from chronic gum disease.

After numerous surgeries to remove diseased tissue, she became alarmed when two specialists suggested she needed more surgery and recommended removing three loose teeth.

"I just was literally beside myself," Broder said.

That's when she turned to Dr. Stephen Wolner. Instead of performing surgery, Wolner takes an unconventional approach to gum disease, relying on an arsenal of non-surgical tools: antibiotics, antiseptics, vitamins, electronic brushing and irrigation, sugarless gum and an ultrasonic tool designed to blast the bacteria away.

"It completely destroys the bacteria without harming any tissue," said Wolner.

"On occassion, surgery is necessary but surgery should be a last resort."

According to Wolner, gum disease is caused by an infection and believes it should be treated by aggressively killing the bacteria that causes it. He says surgeries can remove diseased tissue but often don't cure address what's causing the infection in the first place.

Deborah Hawkins learned that the hard way. After undergoing two bone grafts, the infection reappeared in another area of her mouth. When a periodontist recommended a third bone graft she sought another opinion from Dr. Wolner.

Using oral and topical antibiotics, Wolner cleared up Debbie's infection in about three months, eliminating the need for another bone graft.

Hawkins says her teeth no longer bleed.

Broder also speaks glowingly of Wolner’s treatment.

"There's a huge change," Broder said. "My teeth hurt when i came in here… [now] I have no pain in my mouth, no bleeding, no swelling or inflammation.

And she says her three loose teeth are as tight as a drum.

"I feel like my teeth are healthy for probably the first time in my life," Broder said.

CBS 2 contacted several prominent periodontists including one at the New Jersey dental school. They all stressed gum surgery is sometimes necessary, especially for treating deep pockets.

As for cost, the non-surgical treatment runs about the same as a single surgery, but in long run could be a lot cheaper.