At All Smiles Bethesda, our philosophy of dentistry revolves around helping you maintain your dental and overall health. Oral health conditions can have a direct effect on your emotional, psychological and physical well being. One example of an oral infection that could impact your overall health is periodontal disease, an infection of the gums.

Gum disease begins as a localized infection in the form of inflammation of the gums. This causes the gums to pull away from the nearby teeth, exposing the tooth roots. In the absence of proper and timely treatment, this damage progresses to bone loss, which, in turn, can cause the teeth to become loose and eventually fall out. The damage caused by gum disease does not cease here. Once your immune system starts to react against the spread of infection, it can start taking a toll on your physical health. The long-term effects of uncontrolled gum disease include:

• Excessive stress on the immune system
• Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
• Inhibition of healthy digestion
• Exacerbation of respiratory disease

We begin gum disease treatment with an examination of your medical history and develop a comprehensive treatment plan to help you restore and maintain optimal oral health. We offer the following treatments for periodontal disease:

Scaling and Root Planing: This is a non-surgical treatment to control gum disease in its early stages. The procedure begins with a thorough cleaning of the teeth and gums to remove tartar deposits above and below the gum line. This is followed by planing of the root surfaces to smooth out rough areas and prevent recurrences.

Arestin: Arestin is an antibiotic (minocycline HCl) that is placed after scaling and root planning procedures to allow the gums to heal faster. With proper home care and regular periodontal maintenance visits, pocket depths have shown to significantly improve. This may help prevent the need for gum surgery.

Gingivectomy: This procedure is used to reduce the depth of deep periodontal pockets. The treatment involves cleaning of the periodontal pockets and lifting them so that the gum can reattach itself to the teeth.

Bone Graft: Bone Graft is an important procedure to add more volume and density to the jawbone to aid with recovery and preparation for future implant surgery.

If you believe you are suffering from gum disease, it is essential to receive treatment as soon as possible. For more information about periodontal services, contact our office today at 301-984-9646 to schedule your appointment