Why are healthy gums important?
Healthy gums are important because the mouth is the gateway to the body. Also, the gums and supporting structures are what help hold our teeth in place to allow us to chew and function with confidence. The gums and supporting structures are indeed important to overall health care.
How can you tell if your gums are healthy?
One of the unfortunate things about periodontal disease, or gum disease, is that oftentimes patients cannot tell on their own if their gums are healthy or not. That being said, there are a few signs that may show there are issues. If there's consistent bad breath, if you've noticed any loose or wiggling teeth, or if you notice a lot of bleeding when brushing or flossing, those can be signs of active gum disease in the mouth.
What causes unhealthy gums?
A common question that comes up is what causes unhealthy gums. Some people are more susceptible to gum disease than others, and genetics can play a role. Commonly, gum disease involves bacteria and plaque that build up around the teeth. Over time, this can affect the gums and supporting structures, and the mouth is not as healthy.
Can unhealthy gums or periodontal disease be treated?
Unhealthy gums or periodontal disease is a chronic condition that is typically managed by the patient and the treating providers. It's not something that's just fixed with a very quick fix. It's something that we manage long-term.
What is involved in a deep dental cleaning?
A common question that comes up is what is involved in the process of deep cleaning the teeth. Basically, when we start our dental exam, one of the things that's very commonly done is we take a small probe, which acts like a ruler, and go around the sides of the teeth. What we're doing is measuring the depth of the pockets around the teeth.
A shallow pocket is consistent with health. As pockets become deeper, they can become more difficult for the patient to clean effectively at home. The process of a deep cleaning is that we get the patient numb and clean those areas the patient does not have the ability to get to on their own.
Why is deep cleaning often broken up into two visits?
Oftentimes, when it comes to deep cleanings, we break the treatment up into two visits. This is done for a few different reasons. The first is that we typically numb the mouth the day that we're going to be doing the deep cleaning to keep the patient comfortable. Therefore, we'll typically only work on half of the mouth at a given time.
We also give our hygienist up to two hours to work on each side of the mouth. It doesn't always take that long, but we want to give them enough time to do a good job. Most patients do not want to sit in the chair and be numb in the whole mouth for three or four hours, so we typically break it up into two visits, usually within about a week or so of each other.
Is a deep dental cleaning painful?
I can't speak for all offices, but at our office, comfort for the patient is one of our primary concerns. We use numbing agents and work to make sure patients are fully numb for procedures where they would otherwise feel discomfort while we're working. Our goal is to keep patients comfortable throughout a deep dental cleaning.
What can you do at home after a deep dental cleaning?
A common question that comes up with patients is what we can do at home after a deep dental cleaning to make sure that we, as the patient, are doing our part. The most important things we can do are try to rest and use good techniques when it comes to cleaning our teeth. Using an electric toothbrush can be helpful, and you want to use it for the full two minutes that the electric toothbrush recommends.
Additionally, using adequate interproximal aids, which is a fancy way of saying cleaning in between the teeth, is just as critical. It may even be more critical than brushing for gum disease management. Flossing, a Waterpik, a water flosser, an air flosser, or other interdental aids, like reach flossers, can be used. Anything that can help you accurately clean in between the teeth is very important.
When is a gum graft necessary?
Earlier in the video, we talked about things like deep cleaning and traditional gum disease with those pockets. Gum grafting may be needed, but for a different reason. Basically, on the fronts of the teeth, so the side that's usually facing the cheek, and occasionally on the tongue side, it's possible that the gums will start to pull back along the side of the tooth, and the supporting bone may recede as well.
When that becomes significant, a gum graft may be recommended. Essentially, our goal is to thicken the quality of tissue in that area and cover the root as much as we can, sometimes completely. But again, that depends on the presenting condition.
Want to learn more? Call Periodontics and Implant Dentistry of Tallahassee at (850) 909-9731 or email [email protected]. Our team is happy to answer your questions and help schedule your visit.