Periodontics

At every visit, we examine patients to detect any signs of gum disease. Maintaining healthy gums is an important part of helping our patients retain all their teeth. If we see early signs of gum disease, we will recommend at-home hygiene changes and care in our office to treat it.


Gum disease starts with signs like these:

 

  • Reddened areas in the gums
  • Sore, swollen spots in the gums
  • Bleeding while brushing or flossing teeth


At this early stage, gum disease is called gingivitis.

Treating Advanced Gum Disease

If not treated, gingivitis progresses to the more advanced phase of gum disease—periodontitis. Permanent bone loss may begin. Further symptoms of periodontitis include the symptoms above as well as these below:


  • Persistent bad breath
  • Bright-red, dark-red or purplish gums
  • Pus appearing between the teeth and gums
  • Loosened teeth
  • Pain when biting or chewing
  • Receding gums


It’s vital to treat gum disease as soon as it’s detected. We can advise our patients on changes in their hygiene procedures to eliminate gingivitis. For periodontitis, we perform treatment called scaling and root planing. This consists of a thorough cleaning of calculus (deposits) under the gums, and then smoothing the roots so bacteria cannot harbor there. 


If you have any questions about your gum health, contact us at (703) 543-8112.

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Periodontics

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