Dental Hygiene Regular visits to our hygienist and dental health educator will help keep your teeth clean and your breath fresh as well as helping you to have a health mouth and teeth throughout your life. This is the corner stone of our practice as gum disease is a major cause of tooth loss. Gum disease can present with:
bleeding gums
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loose teeth
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bad breath
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bad taste
If left untreated it will lead to loss of teeth. Treatment is directed at improving the health of the supporting tissues of the teeth
What causes gum disease?
Bacterial Plaque is the major causative factor of gum disease. It is a film of bacteria, which come from your saliva, and are constantly forming on your teeth. These bacteria quickly multiply to form layers of plaque. If not thoroughly removed minerals from your saliva precipitate into the bacterial plaque forming calculus (Tartar).
Gingivitis
This is the name given to inflammation of the Gingival Tissue (Gums) and occurs when bacterial plaque accumulates between the tooth and the gum. This is the first stage of gum disease and is reversible with treatment.If you have Gingivitis your gums will bleed when you brush them |
Periodontitis
Periodontitis is the name given to gum disease which has advanced to involve the periodontium. (Described above) It is important to preserve the bone levels around your teeth in order to prevent your teeth from becoming loose. There are many degrees of Periodontitis and the only way to diagnose the extent of the damage is with a periodontal examination. This is a simple and painless examination with a special instrument to check the bone level around each of your teeth.At the Dental Hygiene Suite we routinely carry out a gum examination to monitor your Periodontal Health. Should there be any problems, these are shown to you and explained in “simple English”. A treatment and maintenance plan is then devised to achieve optimum periodontal health. After all, your gums are the foundation for your teeth, your smile!
How to prevent gum disease
Thorough removal of bacterial plaque from the teeth and gums is paramount in the prevention of gum disease. There are many recommended tooth brushing techniques and it can sometimes be a little confusing as to what we should do. It is important to remove bacterial plaque thoroughly without causing damage to the tooth enamel as this can cause sensitivity.We advise against brushing with an up and down action and scrubbing from side to side as both of these techniques cause damage to the teeth and gums. General it is best to give tooth brushing advice on a one to one basis so that established habits can be reviewed and dexterity assessed.We can also fissure seal your children’s teeth. This is a simple preventative procedure which covers the vulnerable chewing surfaces of the back teeth (molars and premolars) with a protective coating of resin (plastic) which in conjunction with dietary advice helps to prevent tooth decay
Conclusion
Gum disease is more common than tooth decay, and if left undetected can result in you loosing a healthy tooth. It does not have to be this way. Visit your dental hygienist regularly for gum examinations, treatment and advice. Together we will protect your smile.
http://www.perio.org/ for more information. |
