Dr. Stephen Baral D.M.D.

General dentists and hygienists are the first line of defense in the fight against periodontal disease. Studies suggest over half of the population suffer from periodontal disease. Over 70 percent of adults ages 35-45 suffer from periodontitis and over 90 percent of adults ages 55-65. Most patients do not go directly to the periodontist to seek help. Initially patients go to their general dentist-most of them unaware they have periodontal disease. The primary responsibility of discovering, diagnosis, education, and administering therapy falls to the general dentist and his or her hygiene department. These statistics concerning periodontal disease have not changed appreciably over the past 50 years. What has dramatically changed is our understanding of the disease process, adjunctive periodontal therapies and the link between periodontitis and overall health.