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With LANAP trained clinicians from all over the country and world from different backgrounds and specialties, we decided to poll them on specific topics to get their feedback on what’s going on in patient treatment, dental business and the use of the powerful PerioLase MVP-7. This month, we asked several of our doctors what they wanted their patients to know about gum disease for Gum Disease Awareness Month and beyond.

• “Gum disease is an infection in the gums and the bone which causes less of the of supporting bone around teeth and if left untreated, will lead to tooth loss. This can be easily treated with conventional periodontal therapy or with laser (LANAP) therapy.” —Sabrina Mancini, DDS, Mancini Periodontics & Implantology, Montreal, QC
• “It’s like being a diabetic or having hypertension. You don’t know if you have it, it doesn’t hurt, and it has a negative affect on your overall health.” —Russell Cecala, DDS, MS, Perio CARE, Chicago, IL
• “Oral bacteria from gum disease can travel through your system and lead to other systemic conditions. Researchers have now linked gum disease to dementia and various other cancers like pancreatic cancer.” —Neha Ajmera, DMD, Advanced Dental Esthetics, Colmar, PA
• “Gum disease is directly and indirectly associated with many other medical conditions such as smoking status, diabetes, heart disease,  Alzheimer’s disease, pre-term birth, etc. Please come to the dentist to see if your gums are healthy, especially if you are medically compromised.” —Sohyun Park, DDS, MS, San Francisco, CA
• “It stinks! Not only does it cause bad breath, it also is connected to terrible diseases like  Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, blood cancers, diabetes, and other awful afflictions. Luckily we live in the future and we can use laser energy to eliminate the bacteria causing gum disease and improve your health! Hooray for technology!” —Steven Kim, DDS, MS, Ocean Heights Dental, Long Beach, CA
• “Even the most severe cases of disease occur without pain/discomfort.” —John Rose, DDS, PC, Smithtown, NY
• “Gum disease affects one and all and it is very important to identify, treat and maintain the disease and save your teeth.” —Satya Molletti, BDS, MS, Thomas Hoover Periodontics, St. Louis Park, MN
• “Just because you don’t have pain, it doesn’t mean you don’t have gum disease. You could be 16 years old, 30, 40, 50, 60, etc. Get it checked early and get treatments!” —Yoonkyung Oh, DMD, Pierre Yves Thibodeau Parondontiste, Inc., Laval, QC
• “The body is interconnected. Blood goes everywhere. People with gum disease have increased inflammation in the mouth. As a result, several inflammatory proteins are manufactured by the body and carried throughout. This may be the reason so many seemingly unrelated sickness, such as heart problems, stroke, pancreatic cancer, ED, and others occur with greater frequency as compared to people who have healthy gums.” —Gregory Louie, DDS, PC, Trivalley Implants, Danville, CA
• “Healthy gums are necessary to maintain a healthy mouth and body. However, people neglect their gum health, often times, it’s because they don’t think that they are as important as other things such as the teeth. But, that is far from the truth — both the teeth and gums are important to maintain.” —Ahmed Ibraheem, DDS, MSD, South Bend, IN
• “Gum disease is a condition that can go undetected and pain-free until very bad things have already happened. Get checked by a dentist regularly.” —Mike Colleran, DDS, Slotown Smiles, San Luis Obispo, CA