No one wants to lose their teeth to tooth and gum disease. Dentists call gum disease, periodontal disease. Periodontal disease destroys the gums and bone surrounding teeth. After each meal, some of the food sticks to your teeth. Bacteria digest this food forming a soft substance called plaque. In a day, the plaque hardens on your teeth to form calculus (tartar). The bacteria live in the calculus and give off toxic waste that destroys the bone and gums. If left untreated, the teeth eventually fall out.

         In tooth and gum disease, the swollen and bleeding gums eventually effect the teeth. At first you see swollen gums which lead to bleeding gums. This is gingivitis. Eventually the underlying bone becomes so irritated that there is bone loss which can be seen in dental x-rays. With continued bone loss, the patient experiences loose teeth and finally, dental pain and a dental abscess.

          One of the first steps in tooth and gum disease treatment is to remove all of the calculus from the patient's teeth since bacteria live within the calculus when it is attached to the surface of teeth. This procedure is called scaling and root planing and is performed by a Registered Dental Hygienist, RDH. Since much of this material is underneath the gums, patients are usually numbed before the procedure is performed. It's an effective first step in treating gum disease. We perform this important gum treatment procedure over two visits with one follow up visit to check the results.

         The dentists of the Atlanta Dental Group PC are dedicated to their patients' good health and well being and you are welcome to join their family of patients. They offer comprehensive General, Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry including gum disease treatment. If you are concerned about tooth and gum disease, call 404-874-7428 to make an free dental consultation appointment with Atlanta Dentist, Dr. Mark Allan Padolsky or Dr. Jeffrey Stephen Smith.