Browsing the internet, I read a site that had some excellent articles. There was one particular story that went into detail about how you can cut down on the rists of gum disease. They provided an amazing piece of fact in that 80% of people have gum disease. I was taken aback because it was almost as if the data came right out of my office.

I'd like you to meet Jennifer Love Hewitt. She wanted to be a star, so she thought the best way was by packing up her things and shifting to Los Angeles to live out her dreams and make it as a pop star. Instead, though, her path took a different route and she became an actress. I, for one, think she is a good actress. She has had a few albums but most of her time is devoted to acting.

There was an article about her once and I couldn't believe it when she admitted she can't ride a bicycle. Amazing! I have never had the pleasure of meeting her, neither have I worked on her teeth her, but I do think she is quite pretty and has a great smile.

She could have gum disease, though no one else but her or her dentist would have a clue.

The main thing about healthy gums is that they stay strong when you brush them and they don't bleed. Pink gums are good and there should not be any inflammation. Tight, firm gums are what you should be aiming for. I monitor how deep a patient's gum pockets are. Any good dentist will know from looking at your gum pockets the extent to which gum disease has affected you and what should be done in the future. Pockets stay, no matter what you do and the only thing you can do is to stop them from going deeper. Pockets are a result of bone loss and after many years you may be without the right amount of jaw bone for teeth to implant themselves. As a result, the roots have nothing to fix on to and that is the reason those who neglect their gums lose their teeth as they get older.

I truly love to see you have strong teeth. So, I believe in whatever you do that helps to secure you from the need to sit in my chair.

I think a good oral home care program can be of great help when it comes to healthy teeth. And sometimes patients would make an appointment with me and undergo additional procedures to clean their teeth that also helps them to fight gum disease.

Jennifer Love Hewitt may need treatment, I don't know. But you don't have to be famous like her to get treatment for Manhattan gum disease. Don't worry about your status. It would be my pleasure to have you come and see me in my clinic no matter who you are. In my opinion, all of you are superstars when you sit in my chair.

Photography by PR Photos. No celebrity endorsement is made or implied.