Wednesday, February 1, 2017

What a deep clean of your teeth can do to fight gum disease

What a deep clean of your teeth can do to fight gum disease
Gum disease, or gingivitis, is no laughing matter. Bacteria attacking the gums causes it, and if left untreated, can quickly progress into a chronic condition. While the easiest way to prevent gum disease is to pay close attention to your daily oral hygiene habits, once you start experiencing symptoms, it is best to make an appointment with your dentist. The experts at Bertagnolli Dental know what a deep clean of your teeth can do to fight gum disease.

Oral bacteria can damage both your teeth and gums. During daily brushing, one of the most difficult places to remove food debris and plaque from is the place where your teeth meet your gums. If the plaque deposits or calculus produced by bacteria are left to sit on your gum line, they can cause irritation and inflammation. Gum disease moves progressively further towards the roots of your teeth, loosening the gums from the tooth surface. This can allow pockets to form, increasing the opportunity for bacteria to take up residence and eventually leading to abscesses, loosened teeth, and tooth loss.

A typical cleaning from a dental hygienist involves scaling, the removal of superficial calculus buildup from the surface of your teeth. A deeper cleaning might be recommended if you are showing the early symptoms of gingivitis. Deep cleaning usually involves root planing. This is a method of cleaning the surface of your teeth's roots, in the hard-to-reach area below the gum line.

Root planing goes deeper than the typical tooth scale and polish. Usually, for this more invasive cleaning, you will be given a local anesthetic. This will allow you to be relaxed and comfortable while your dentist works on sensitive areas around your gums. The root planing procedure is often preceded by the use of an ultrasonic device over the affected area. Ultrasonic waves are used to dislodge calculus buildup from beneath the gum line before your dentist flushes the area with water.

Hand-held instruments are then used on the roots of the teeth where the gums have loosened. Remaining bacteria and plaque is gently scraped away. Finishing the treatment, iodine or an antibacterial solution is flushed under the affected gums. According to an article from the Dear Doctor Dentistry and Oral Health magazine, it is possible that just one deep cleaning root planing procedure can successfully return mildly inflamed gum tissue to complete health. Commonly, root planing will allow gum tissue to heal by 1-3mm within a few weeks of the procedure.

If you are noticing the first signs of gum inflammation, it is not too late to completely reverse your symptoms. A deep clean by your dentist could be all you need to fight gum disease and prevent its progression. Of course, the dentist cannot do all the work. You may also need to adjust your daily oral hygiene routine and pay closer attention to your gum line when brushing. To schedule a tooth scale and root planing procedure and experience what a deep clean of your teeth can do to fight gum disease, call us at Bertagnolli Dental or visit our website today.

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