Are your gums healthy? The only way to know for sure is to let your dentist examine them.

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Periodontal Treatment in Chesterfield, MO

man sitting in a dental chair smiling Gum disease is an insidious condition that many people have without even knowing about it. Gum disease (also called periodontitis or gingivitis) often develops without any signs, and by the time symptoms start showing up, the disease may be in a more advanced stage.

The truth is that when your gums aren’t healthy, your teeth aren’t healthy. In fact, among adults living in the developed world, gum disease is the main cause of tooth loss. Gum disease, also called periodontal disease, can be prevented with diligent home care and routine visits to the team at Clarkson Dental Group for professional cleanings.

If you have been putting off routine examinations at the dentist—whether for a year or a decade—we urge you to make an appointment at Clarkson Dental Group. If you are concerned about the state of your mouth, we would like to assure you that we have seen worse! Our goal is to get you back on track for good oral health—and we look forward to helping you get there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do heart disease and other medical conditions have to do with periodontal (gum) disease?

As more and more studies show, there is a connection between systemic health and oral issues, such as gum disease. Gum disease, also called periodontal disease, is a common gum infection that many people don’t even know they have. This serious condition not only causes tooth loss if it goes untreated, but it can also affect the health of your entire body.

Numerous studies have shown that people with gum disease are at a higher risk of developing serious diseases, including heart problems, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s—just to name a few. When gum disease is present, oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream and travel to major organs, causing additional infections. There is still plenty of research to be done, but it seems clear that there is a connection.

This is one of the reasons it’s so important to visit your dentist every six months for routine checkups and cleanings. Many people don’t even know they have gum disease until their dentists see the signs after conducting a periodontal examination. If it is caught early enough, gum disease might be able to be reversed; in its later stages, it can only be managed, and tooth loss cannot be ruled out.

Skipping routine dental appointments can put your entire well-being at risk. Make an appointment today at our St. Louis dental office.

How often should I brush and floss?

At a minimum, you should brush in the morning after you get up and at night before you go to bed. You should also floss at least once per day, preferably at bedtime. Brushing and flossing help control the plaque and bacteria that cause tooth decay and dental disease.

When you skip brushing and flossing, you give plaque a chance to build up on your teeth. The bacteria present in plaque will create acids that can cause tooth decay. If the plaque isn’t removed, it will harden into a substance called calculus, which can build up over time, eventually causing gum disease. The formation of plaque is a continuous process, so it’s crucial to stay on top of it with regular brushing and flossing.

Although good home care is an essential element in taking care of your oral health, it’s equally important to see your dentist every six months for examinations and cleanings. Even with diligent brushing and flossing, plaque still builds up and needs to be removed with special dental tools.

Are you overdue for a dental checkup? We are always welcoming new patients to our Chesterfield, MO dental office. Call Clarkson Dental Group today to make an appointment!

What is periodontal therapy?

A prophylaxis is a treatment to prevent infection. While periodontal therapy is indicated for active gum infection leading to inflammation and bone loss. A prescribed deep cleaning is indicated.

Does periodontal treatment hurt?

The procedure itself is painless. We are able to successfully navigate painless care as the result of advances in treatment modalities and anesthetics. In a majority of our patients, they report minimal to no post-operative discomfort.

Can I just take an antibiotic to get rid of my gum disease?

No. Think of the bacteria producing plaque and calculus on your teeth like a splinter in your finger that has become infected. If you took an antibiotic to treat the splinter in your finger then you may feel a little better, but the splinter is still present. Only until you completely remove the irritant, the splinter, can you begin to heal. The same is true for the deep cleaning treatment to remove the bacterial plaque and calculus causing gum disease. Once removed, it too will allow the body to heal and return to a non-diseased state.

What Is Periodontal Disease—and What Causes It?

Periodontal disease is a progressive condition that starts with mild inflammation of the gums. This is early-stage gum disease and is referred to as gingivitis. People might also experience bleeding gums, but in some cases, there are no noticeable symptoms. Only your dentist can tell you if your gums are healthy or not.

The more advanced stage of gum disease is called periodontitis, and at this point, there is no cure for the condition, but it can be managed.

Gum disease starts when the bacteria living in plaque that develops on teeth cause an infection in the surrounding tissues of the teeth, making them red and irritated. Left untreated, this condition will eventually lead to bone recession and the loss of teeth.

Some causes of gum disease include:

Poor oral hygiene
Plaque that builds up on teeth and hardens into calculus
Smoking and chewing tobacco
Hormonal shifts in females
Nutritional deficiencies
Misaligned teeth
Family history

Treatment for Gum Disease

If your gum disease is mild-to-moderate, we will focus on eliminating the underlying bacterial infection and give you advice on home care to prevent a recurrence. In more advanced stages, a deeper cleaning might be needed to remove the plaque and calculus (tartar) from the teeth that reside below the gumline. When the disease is far advanced, we will work alongside you in coordinating your dental care with local specialists to optimize treatment results.

For Patients with Dental Anxiety

If dental anxiety is preventing you from visiting the dentist regularly, we can discuss your sedation options. At Clarkson Dental Group, we offer nitrous oxide, oral conscious sedation, and IV moderate sedation (formerly known as IV conscious sedation or twilight sedation) to help ensure your experience here is a comfortable one. Don’t let dental fear interfere with your good oral health!

Contact Our Judgment-Free Dental Office

Whether you are seeking a new dental home in Chesterfield, MO, or if it’s been a while since your last visit to the dentist, we welcome you to Clarkson Dental Group. We are not here to make judgments about your oral health, nor can we change the past. Let us help ensure your future includes a healthy smile. Call us today or contact us online!

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Testimonial

What a delightful group of people!

Well if you dread a trip to the dentist, just go to Dr. Mahlin at Clarkson Dental Group on Clarkson. What a delightful group of people! I, in fact, look forward to seeing them, they are so friendly, pleasant and welcoming. I’ve been going there for about 18 yrs.+ and they not only are exceptionally good at what they do, but they make sure you are as comfortable as you can be in a dental chair! I’ve sent many friends to them and they feel as I do: this group of people are professionally the best! Marge Rittenhouse Chesterfield, MO

- Margaret R

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BLOGS

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Gum disease is a common yet potentially serious oral health ailment that affects the tissue surrounding the teeth. Untreated, it can have severe consequences on oral and overall health. Fortunately, with a proactive and focused approach, you and your dentist can fend off gum disease or prevent it from progressing past its earliest stages.

What Is Gum Disease?

Gum (or periodontal) disease is an oral health condition commonly caused by neglectful dental hygiene practices and inconsistent and infrequent visits to the dentist. In combination, these poor oral hygiene practices can allow ...

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How Your Chesterfield, MO Dentist Treats Gum Disease

April 13, 2022

Of course, our goal is to lower your risks for gum disease, which is why we emphasize prevention. However, we offer comprehensive and customized treatments to restore you to better oral health if you are diagnosed.

Let’s explore gum disease: What it is and how we treat it.

What Is Gum Disease?

Gum disease, also called periodontal disease, is a severe oral health condition that requires ongoing dental treatment.

Typically, gum disease presents as gingivitis, which your dentist can eradicate. However, when it advances to periodontal disease, we can only treat the symptoms ...

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OUR TEAM

Dr. Scott Mahlin DDS, MAGD, FICOI

Chesterfield native Dr. Scott Mahlin earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at St. Louis University. He went on to earn a DDS at the University of Missouri at Kansas City; he did a sedation residency at the University of Alabama. His continuing education includes:

Misch International Implant Institute—Surgical Implant Fellowship
Misch International Implant Institute—Prosthetic Implant Fellowship
Academy of General Dentistry—MAGD Mastership (MAGD), which is attained by less than 2 percent of general dentists
International Congress of Oral Implantologists Fellowship (FICOI)

About his work, Dr. Mahlin says, “I understand that dental care is a very personal ...

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