Gum Disease Treatment
Gum Disease Treatment
Prevent Gum Disease With Your Periodontist In Arlington VA
More than 80 percent of Americans have some level of gum (periodontal) disease. It is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.
While most general dentists recognize gum disease and recommend treatment, Dr. Malika Kohli is a periodontist, with additional specialization in dental implants, who practices general dentistry. That makes her uniquely qualified to teach preventive techniques, screen for periodontal disease, and halt its progress with non-surgical and surgical techniques to re-establish oral health.
Gum disease is an infection in the mouth caused by plaque. Initially, there is little or no pain and symptoms are mild. Many patients who do not maintain regular dental examinations don’t realize they have a problem until they notice loose teeth.
What is plaque?
Plaque is a sticky substance emitted by bacteria in the mouth, which coats the teeth and irritate gum tissue, leading to infection. This early stage is called “gingivitis,” and may result in gums that look red or bleed. As it progresses, plaque develops into hard calculus. The irritation from calculus creates pockets around tooth roots, a perfect environment for the infection to flourish further. Eventually, gum disease not only breaks down soft tissues which support teeth, it begins to destroy underlying bone, as well. Teeth become loose and ultimately fall out or must be extracted.
“I was very impressed with level of professionalism of the doctors and the caring attitude of the whole staff. It’s refreshing to find a dentist who really understands how to manage gum disease. The office is clean and lovely, too.”
– Mary B.
In most cases, gum disease may be prevented with good oral hygiene
Prevention of gum disease can be as simple as brushing after meals, daily flossing, and visits to the dentist at least twice per year. During those appointments at our Arlington VA dentist office, one of Columbia Pike Family Dentistry’s trained hygienists will check the depth of the pockets and alert Dr. Kohli to any problems, so that the situation may be addressed immediately. If pocket depth has reached four to five millimeters, Dr. Kohli will explain the situation and treatment:
- It will begin with a deep cleaning called “scaling and root planing,”
- A re-evaluation in four to six weeks will be scheduled
- If pocket depth has not improved, a surgical procedure (soft tissue grafting, osseosurgery, bone grafting, or dental implant therapy) may be necessary
Because of her expertise in this area, Dr. Kohli is able to offer the convenience of full periodontal treatment at the Columbia Pike Family office without referring patients to another practice.
The impact of gum disease on your health goes beyond tooth loss
Bacterial infiltration is linked to heart disease and other serious systemic illness. Prevention and early management of gum disease is critical to your overall wellbeing. Trust your periodontal health to Dr. Kohli if you are in the Rosslyn – Arlington VA area!