Healthy Teeth and Gums

Oral health is the basis of your beautiful smile. It also plays a big part in your general health and wellbeing. Numerous research reports point to the impact oral health has on the body. In the Dothan dental office of Dr. Nathan Pfister, patients from Montgomery, Alabama, Panama City and Tallahassee Florida, and communities in between can count on the vigilant care needed to prevent, detect, and treat conditions like gum disease, which threatens the whole body.

When it comes to gum disease, prevention really is the best medicine. Dr. Pfister provides routine examinations and cleanings, but also recommends in-depth assessment as a preventive measure. When we can identify the types of bacteria present in the mouth using microscopy and oral DNA tests, we are better empowered to understand the problem and to destroy them. The prevention of gum disease is a group effort in which we partner with patients in areas such as hygiene and nutrition. Should the need for specific treatment arise, we incorporate biological therapies proven to get results.

What we do to treat periodontal infection is to clean and decontaminate affected areas above and below the gum line. Advancing gum disease may be treated with antibiotics, scaling, root planning, ozone irrigations, CO2 laser treatment, home gum irrigations, and nutrition. If severe bone damage occurs due to advanced disease, surgery will be needed for repair. The normal periodontal care common today focuses on bone loss around your teeth. Remember bone loss around your teeth is a late indicator of disease! That means you have been infected for most likely many years prior to the bone destruction around your teeth. Treating disease after it has done its damage is one thing, identifying and preventing it prior to damage is another.

With an extensive background in biological dentistry, Dr. Pfister provides care that benefits the entire body. The mouth is only one part of a whole, but a very important part that must be maintained in order to work harmoniously with other systems as intended. When we protect the mouth from disease-causing bacteria, we protect general health and wellbeing.

Ozone therapy for gum health

Ozone occurs naturally when oxygen takes on an extra molecule. This energized oxygen is powerful against pathogens in the environment and those in the body. Administered as a gas or liquid, ozone can quickly destroy disease-causing bacteria, fungi, and viruses while also promoting the oxygenation of tissues for rapid healing.

With no toxic or allergenic effects, ozone causes oxidation in diseased cells, which have no antioxidant enzymes to protect them. Healthy cells, in contrast, are protected by antioxidant enzymes and are therefore unaffected by ozone. This therapeutic substance is ideal for disease treatment due to the healing effects on diseased tissues.

Oral hygiene

One of the key factors in oral health is hygiene. We encourage our patients to brush and floss regularly using gentle motions. When these habits are skipped or poorly performed, oral bacteria can flourish and accumulate in hard to reach places. We use a "SoproLIFE" camera which will show our patients where they are brushing well and where they miss regularly. Our microscope also tells us how well the teeth are being cleaned and approximately how long the bacteria have been undisturbed. Where bacteria colonize, the biofilm matures and disease will shortly follow. While there are cases in which gum disease requires surgical intervention, we have seen many patients avoid this aggressive step with determined and personalized impeccable home care and biological preventative dental care.

Your healthy smile is a source of pride and contentment, and is indicative of health. Dr. Pfister gives personal attention to smiles from the Dothan area and beyond. Contact our office at (855) 939-5566 today to schedule your visit.