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Posts for category: Dental
Good for you--you're on board with brushing and flossing at home. You eat a healthy diet and limit alcohol. You don't smoke. Your gum 
health should be great, but do you know that for sure? The way to ward off periodontal disease or to catch it early is through regular check-ups with your dentist in Lexington Park and Gaithersburg, MD, Dr. Ali Fatemi. This fellow in the American Academy of General Dentistry uses six-month check-ups and cleanings to keep your gums (as well as your teeth) as healthy as possible.
Did you know?
Did you know that gum disease is a leading cause of tooth loss among American adults and that about 47 million adults over the of 30 have it in some form? The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta reports this disturbing information. It's particularly unsettling because from mild gingivitis to advanced periodontitis, gum disease threatens oral health and even systemic health. So, it's important to prevent it with daily oral hygiene routines.
Symptoms of gum disease
Some individuals may not notice any symptoms of gum problems or may see just a little blood in the sink when they brush and floss. Others, however, experience symptoms which cannot be ignored, and your dentist in Lexington Park and Gaithersburg certainly will spot them on oral examination and through a simple procedure called periodontal probing
As part of your six-month examination at Fatemi Family Dentistry, Dr. Fatemi uses a small handheld probe to measure the spaces between your gum tissue and tooth surfaces. Called periodontal pockets, these spaces are normal when measuring one to three millimeters. Deeper measurements, however, are diagnostic for gum disease as are symptoms of:
- Bleeding, puffy, red gums
- Bad breath
- Pus at the gum line
- Loose, shifting teeth
- Exposed tooth roots
- Gum and bone deterioration
Hygienic cleanings remove the bacteria-filled plaque and tartar your brushing and flossing just cannot reach. Your hygienist scrapes away this build-up with ultrasonic and manual instruments, leaving tooth surfaces smooth and clean.
Treating gum disease
With mild gingivitis, gums recover nicely with regular cleanings and proper brushing and flossing. However, more serious periodontitis needs scaling and root planing, a procedure which goes below the gum line to remove hard tartar (calculus), smooth root surfaces and instill antibiotic medication as needed.
Other therapies include laser gum treatments, gum grafting (to cover exposed roots), and in the most advanced situations, bone grafting. Dr. Fatemi and his team carefully devise gum treatment plans tailored to individual patient needs so gums return to full health.
Learn more about your gums
You can spot periodontal disease before it damages your health. Call Fatemi Family Dentistry today to book your examination and cleaning. For the Lexington Park office, call (301) 737-4747, and for Gaithersburg, phone (301) 740-2686.
How do you find a family dentistry practice in Gaithersburg that is perfect for your family?
A Google search will offer several choices for dental practices in your area, but how do you find a family dentistry practice in Gaithersburg that is perfect for your family?
Every member of your family will have different dental needs, so it’s important to focus on a practice that offers a wide variety of services. We will discuss other important factors to consider as well.
FAMILY DENTISTRY PRACTICES
As with any service, you want to work with a practice that can accommodate your schedule. The hours may not be a good fit for your family or your work schedule, so it’s important to find out the general hours of operation. Establishing regular checkups is made easier when you are able to fit one in on your time. Emergencies may not fall into the regular hours of operations, so discuss what your options are if something out of the ordinary were to happen. Finding out operating hours of the practice is the first step in establishing a relationship with a family dentistry in Gaithersburg.
RESEARCH REPUTATION
Researching the reputation and credentials of a family dentistry will help to narrow down the practices you feel comfortable taking yourself and family to. Liked-minded parents are willing to share positive and negative reviews, so you can gain a lot of valuable insight with a little bit of research. You can also look to review the mission statements or about me sections of family dentistry practices online.
REVIEW LIST OF SERVICES AVAILABLE
Some practices only focus on certain areas, so it’s good to know the full scope of what a family
A FAMILY DENTISTRY FOR YOU
With three state-of-the-art locations throughout Maryland – Gaithersburg,and Lexington Park – Dr. Fatemi is well suited to meet all of your dental needs.
The caring staff at Fatemi Family Dentistry is dedicated to making your visit comfortable, personalized, and, perhaps most importantly, affordable.
One of our staff members will contact you as soon as possible to finalize your appointment. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Fatemi Family Dentistry by calling 301-740-2686.
Welcome to the Blog of Fatemi Family Dentistry
Whether you are an existing patient or searching for a dentist in the Lexington Park, MD area, we’re excited you are here. With the dental industry advancing, we recognize the importance of keeping our patients and visitors up to date with all of the new and exciting things taking place in our practice.
As we move forward with our blog, we hope to promote dental awareness as a vital part of your healthy lifestyle. Here you will find a variety of articles and topics including dental news, advancements in dental technology and treatments, practical oral health advice and updates from our practice.
We hope you find our blog to be helpful, engaging and informational to ensure your best dental health.
As always, feel free to contact our Fatemi Family Dentistry office with any dental questions or concerns.
-- Fatemi Family Dentistry