I thought bacteria caused gum disease, so why should I take a medication to reduce the activity of enzymes in the gum tissue?
Bacteria are certainly a cause of gum disease, and it is important to remove bacteria to improve gum health. Bacteria, however, are not the direct cause of gum and dental bone tissue damage and eventual tooth loss. Gum and bone tissue damage are actually caused by the body s own defense against bacterial infection. How could this be? Well, as a natural infection-fighting mechanism, your body sends white blood cells to the infection site. One of the functions of the white blood cells is to release enzymes to facilitate the passage into the gum and bone tissue. Once there, the white blood cells will destroy the bacteria. In periodontitis, however, there is an overproduction of these enzymes by these cells an overproduction that results in a greater destruction of the gum and bone tissue than the body can repair or replace. Therefore, treatment of periodontitis involves a two-pronged approach: reduce the bacteria in the tooth pockets (the space between the gum and tooth) with a deep clean
