Dr. Lu explains to all patients that healthy gums are an essential component to overall dental health, and our periodontal ‘gum’ therapy treatment looks to address the causes of and prevent periodontal disease.

Commonly known as gum disease, periodontal disease is a family of related chronic inflammatory diseases that are all bacterial infections. The word “periodontal” means “around the tooth”. Each tooth is embedded in the gum, and attached by connective tissue to bone. Healthy gums are pink, smooth, and firm. Your bone and gum tissue should fit around your teeth like a turtleneck around your neck. Gum disease is caused by bacteria, which produce the sticky, soft, colorless substance known as plaque.

Healthy gums are identified as pink, smooth, and firm.

Potential warning signs that can signal a problem for developing periodontal disease :

• Gums that bleed easily
• Red, swollen, tender gums
• Gums that have pulled away from the teeth
• Permanent teeth that are loose or separating
• Any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
• Any change in the fit of partial dentures

Treating Periodontal Disease:

Periodontal therapy is necessary to arrest the progression of gum disease. The most common and a more conservative approach to treating periodontal disease is non-surgical treatment. After treatment, you should receive more frequent cleanings to maintain control of the disease. You must also have to develop good oral hygiene at home and try to reduce other risk factors for gum disease.

Non-surgical treatment, or “scaling and root planning” is a deep cleaning treatment performed on your teeth and gums using local anesthesia. During treatment, Dr. Lu uses a vibrating ultrasonic device to scrape tartar from the visible part of the tooth. To get the harder-to-reach tartar beneath the gum line, a curette is used to probe and clean out the pockets formed around the tooth. During or after treatment antibiotics or antimicrobial rinses may be used to promote healing.

We look forward to having the opportunity to serve your dental needs. For additional questions about our dental treatments, please refer to our Dental Health Center section of our web site, or for appointment requests or additional enquiries please call 703.585.2688 or send us an email.