Periodontal Disease Treatment Washington, DC

It is estimated that around 80% of American adults suffer from some degree of gum disease, making it one of the most common diseases in America. Despite this statistic, 60% of people with gum disease don’t know that they have it. This leads to further complications and a decline in whole-body wellness. Although gum disease may seem like a disease that is isolated to the mouth, inflammation can spread throughout the body. Therefore, it is vital to treat it quickly and effectively.

What is Periodontitis?

Periodontitis is the medical name for gum disease, specifically, a more severe case. Periodontitis translates to ‘inflammation around the tooth.’ Gum disease is an infection caused by oral bacteria build-up and causes gum inflammation. Infected gums can be painful and the disease is very destructive. Without proper treatment, a bacterial infection can lead to the dissolving of the alveolar bones that support the teeth. Consequently, this leads to tooth loss and other health complications.

Gum Disease Effects Whole-Body Wellness

Gum disease is not isolated to your mouth alone. Without treatment, even mild gum disease causes inflammatory reactions throughout the body. Inflammatory reactions have been linked to a number of serious health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. It can even cause pregnant women to give birth prematurely and should be treated with urgency.

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Gum Disease and Periodontal Treatments

Good oral hygiene is the key to preventing gum disease and will help keep oral bacteria at bay. At home, you can do your part to keep your gums healthy. Brushing and flossing your teeth removes food particles and bacteria. However, it is also important that you visit Rinaldi Dental Arts regularly so that we can perform periodontal therapies to combat gum disease. This process may start with a sub-gingival (below the gumline) scaling procedure to remove any build-up of plaque or calculus. If plaque and calculus are left to build up, bacteria can build up and cause infections both above and below the gumline.

If you already have gum disease, good oral hygiene can help to lower the levels of bacteria in your mouth and reduce inflammation. In many cases, Dr. Rinaldi may also recommend antiseptic or antibiotic therapy such as a mouth rinse, or gel, to kill existing bacteria quickly.