Q: Is there a medicine, whether prescription or over-the-counter, which effectively treats gum disease? A: There’s no magic bullet. We rarely use low-dose antibiotics which can be taken long-term, such as Doxycycline. However, I am not a big advocate of long-term antibiotic usage. A short-term regimen is indicated for some patients. Laser treatment has replaced

Q: How can I treat periodontal disease at home? A: Good home care, a balanced diet, professional check-ups. Also, try to reduce stress. Periodontal health is compromised when people are under a lot of stress.

Q: Do you recommend any sort of natural or alternative treatment for gum disease, such as homeopathy? A: If a patient is using something I don’t know about, I always ask them to bring it in and show me the ingredients. As long as it doesn’t do anything detrimental, I don’t have a problem with

Q: Can vitamins or minerals help prevent or reverse gum disease? A: About 15 years ago I had a patient who had severe periodontal disease and needed a lot of treatment. She declined treatment and instead started on a regimen of about 25 vitamin supplements recommended by her dentist. A year later she lost eight

Q: Can peroxide help fight gum disease? A: There was a professor name Dr. Keyes, a microbiologist in the late sixties, early seventies, who came up with a mixture of sodium peroxide and baking soda that patients brushed on their gums. In the lab, it kills bacteria. But then researchers found that peroxide causes cancerous