{"id":106,"date":"2017-01-04T20:57:31","date_gmt":"2017-01-04T20:57:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.ddsdc.com\/?p=106"},"modified":"2017-01-04T20:57:31","modified_gmt":"2017-01-04T20:57:31","slug":"dentist-in-washington-dc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ddsdc.com\/blog\/2017\/01\/04\/dentist-in-washington-dc\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Gums Matter with Your Dentist in Washington, DC"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/a>Gum disease is actually the most common disease in the U.S., affecting about 65 million people<\/strong><\/a>. <\/strong>This is an amazing statistic considering how much you probably hear about heart disease and diabetes, which are actually <\/strong>both connected to gum disease<\/strong><\/a>. The gums are so important that there is an entire field of study concerned with keeping them healthy: periodontics<\/strong>. Dr. Yelena Obholz<\/a>, your dentist in Washington, DC, wants you to know a little more about your gums so you can help protect them from this potentially serious condition. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

What Is Gum Disease?<\/h2>\n

Much of dentistry is concerned with keeping your teeth healthy, but the gums are just as important<\/strong> when it comes to your oral health. They do two very important things: One, they protect the sensitive enamel around your teeth\u2019s roots, and two, they bring essential blood flow to the area. Just like your teeth, the buildup of plaque and bacteria can eventually lead to the breakdown of the gum tissue. This is what we call gum disease<\/strong>. Some common signs are:<\/p>\n