To Avoid Gum Disease, It’s Important to Keep Up With Dental Cleanings

Gum disease is an inflammation of the gums that is mainly caused by the action of plaque that moves from the teeth into the gums. This condition can be worsened by smoking, hormonal fluctuations, Diabetes, drug and substance abuse and certain types of medications. Older people are more vulnerable to gum disease compared to younger people. Also, people with a family history of gum disease are more susceptible to the condition.

Gingivitis is the least severe form of gum disease. It causes the gums to bleed easily and become red when brushed. Gingivitis only occurs when only the soft tissue of the gums is affected. Plaque build-up leads to bacteria and tartar below the gum line, which in return leads to irritated, inflamed or bleeding gums. The good news about gingivitis is that the condition is irreversible. A good dental cleaning followed by proper dental hygiene measures such as regular brushing, flossing and check-ups can restore the good health of the gums by eliminating plaque and bacteria. If the condition is left untreated, it can advance to a more severe form of gum disease known as periodontitis.
The periodontital diseaseis depicted by the breakdown of structures that secure and supports the teeth. These structures include the gums, bones and fibre that anchors the teeth in position. Periodontal disease is the number one cause of tooth loss in adults. As much as bone lost by theperiodontal disease will not grow back, treatment from the dentist and good home care will prevent the condition from becoming worse.

It is vital to bear in mind that gum disease is not always painful. Even people suffering from theperiodontal disease may feel little to no discomfort. However, there is a myriad of other signs and symptoms that you need to be on the watch out for. These symptoms include swollen gums, teeth that are sensitive to hot or cold foods and beverages, receding gums and chronic bad breath.

Here are the most common causes of gum disease

Plaque

Your mouth is filled with bacteria that combine with saliva forming a sticky film commonly known as plaque, which builds up on your teeth. When you eat foods that are high in carbohydrates or take sugary drinks, bacteria in plaque converts the sugars and carbohydrates into energy that they require, producing acids at the same time. As time goes by, the acid in plaque starts to break down your tooth enamel resulting in tooth decay. The bacteria can also irritate your gums, making them sore and inflamed. Regular flossing and brushing can easily remove plaque. Nevertheless, if the plaque is not removed,it can harden and form a substance known as tartar. Tartar sticks more firmly to your teeth than plaque, and only a dentist can remove it.

Poor Diet

What you put in your mouth plays a major role in your oral health. Fruits, vegetables and foods that are high in vitamin C are good for your teeth, but starches and sugar will create a conducive environment for microbes. If your diet lacks nutrients, your immune system can become compromised thereby weakening your natural defence mechanism against infections. Obesity may also promote the risks of gum infections. Certain drinks and foods are very beneficial in maintaining healthy gums. Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurts are high in calcium which helps in strengthening your bones. Calcium also contains protein casein which helps to neutralise the acids that destroy your teeth enamel and gum tissues. Crunchy foods such as carrots, apples and celery scraped away food remains and built up plaque along your gum line and between your teeth. These foods are also rich in fibre,and so they take longer to chew which promotes theproduction of more saliva. An adequate supply of saliva is essential since it helps in flushing out bacteria in your mouth.

Smoking

Smoking alters the normal functioning of gum tissue cells and makes your mouth more susceptible to gum infections. Smoking weakens the defence mechanism of your gums making it hard for them to recover. Whether you smoke cigarettes, cigars, chew tobacco or pipe smoking, using any tobacco products greatly increases the risks of gum disease.

Hormonal Shifts

When a woman is pregnant or even during their monthly menstrual cycles, hormones tend to rise and fall which make gums more vulnerable to gum diseases. Expecting a baby does not necessarily mean you will have issues with your gums. It means that you will have to take a lot more care of your teeth and gums to maintain good oral health. Some of the things that are possibly expected during pregnancy include inflamed, irritated and red gums that bleed a little when you floss or brush.

Crooked Teeth

Crooked teeth not only affect the look of your smile but also increases the risks of having gum disease. If you have misaligned teeth, it becomes much harder to clean out food debris that gets stuck in between them. If these food remains are not removed, bacteria can start growing on your gums.

Aging

As one gets old, avoiding the damage that comes from gum disease is very essential. Therefore, it is very vital to maintain good oral health throughout your life. Older people are at a higher risk of having oral problems because of lack of regular dental care, medications or declining physical status. Maintaining good oral care habits such as flossing at least once a day, brushing twice daily and rinsing with the recommended mouthwash can help maintain the health of your mouth.
If you are not able to keep up with your dental care routine because of physical limitations, you may consider using an interdental flosser or an electric toothbrush. If you wear dentures, your dentist will advise you on how to clean them. Brush the dentures on a daily basis with a soft-bristled toothbrush or a brush that is designed for cleaning dentures. Your dentist may also suggest that you place your dentures in a soaking solution overnight while you sleep.

Medical Conditions

Diabetes, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease are closely linkedto gum disease. However, the causal relations between the diseases are not yet established,but there’s a definite correlation. For example, diabetes prevents the body’s ability to use insulin thus promoting bacteria growth that in turn is hard to treat and control. Dentists maintain that there is a definite correlation between diabetes type 1 and gum disease.

Stress

Stress can make it hard for the body to fight off infections resulting in health issues such as gum disease. Research has proven that there is a connection between stress, loneliness, depression and gum disease. Stress causes therelease of high levels of cortisol, a hormone that lowers a person’s body immunity.

Early signs of gum disease include swelling, redness, or inflammation around the gum line. If any of these signs appear in your mouth, your dentist will check for calculus below the gum line. The dentist may use a tool known as a probe to measure your dental pockets and bleeding. He or she can also use anadvanced technology known as digital radiography to evaluate bone level around the teeth.

Gingivitis can be treated through a professional dental cleaning and proper home care to manage plaque before it becomes calculus. Some contributing factors may include dry mouth (due to medical conditions or medications), mouth-breathing, braces and many more. Your dentist will work together with you to make sure that you restore healthy gums. Periodontitis will require a more aggressive treatment. A deep dental cleaning (scaling and root planning) may be recommended. This involves removal of plaque and calculus below the gum line. The procedure can be broken into two or more visits,and the dentist will use local anaesthesia for your comfort.

Deep cleaning is a procedure done to alleviate inflammation, swelling, and bleeding due to plaque and tartar build-up on the root of the tooth and along the gum lines. Apart from alleviating the disorder, deep cleaning is also used to prevent gum disease from becoming more severe. The procedure for deep cleaning is non-invasive and non-surgical. Typically, it involves deep scaling and root planning. Scaling is the process by which the dentist scraps plaque below and above the gum line. Root planning helps in removing tartar and bacteria that have accumulated in the dental pockets. It’s important to note that deep cleaning is not the same as regular cleaning, deep cleaning is a more thorough way of getting rid of tartar and bacteria that have accumulated over time.

According to Australian Dental Association, every adult should get aperiodontal assessment to determine if there is any additional dental treatment required. The dentist might recommend a deeper dental cleaning and scale for dental pockets that go beyond 5mm. When tartar and plaque are left untreated for a long time, the bacteria start to breed and could easily affect the gums. This leads to gingivitis and then later develops to a more advanced form of gum disease known as periodontal disease inflicting more damage to the teeth. Patients suffering from chronic gum disease are recommended to undertake a deep cleaning to avoid severe consequences such as tooth loss.

Deep cleaning is mostly recommended for people suffering from gingivitis or periodontal disease which is a more serious form of gum infection. The dentist willrecommend deep cleaning typically when the depth of dental pockets exceeds 3mm. Gum disease results from bacterial plaque. When plaque builds up, it hardens and turns into a rough substance known as tartar. Tartar in return releases toxins which affect the gums necessary for holding the teeth into position. As a result, periodontal pockets form and toxins and bacteria continues to build upon them. This causes inflammation and infection. If this situation remains untreated, the situation can worsen and become more severe.

Before undertaking the procedure, you need to discuss with your dentist the benefits of undertaking it. You also need to understand why the procedure needs to be performed. Discuss with your dentist why you need to undertake the procedure and why it’s the best course of action. When you know exactly what is going to happen, you will find yourself feeling more comfortable and relaxed. Before the treatment, you need to practice proper dental hygiene. This involves brushing and flossing your teeth regularly. Depending on your condition, your dentist may recommend that you use aspecific type of mouthwash to prevent bacteria from spreading to other parts of the body.

Examination

Before beginning the actual process, the dentist will first examine the state of your entire mouth. He or she will use a small mirror to check your teeth and gums to look for any signs of gingivitis. After analysing all the problems that need to be corrected, the dentist will either proceed with the cleaning process or give you another dental appointment for adeep cleaning.

Tartar Elimination

The dentist will use a scaler and a small mirror to eliminate tartar and plaque along the gum line and between the teeth. You will hear some scrapping,but this is very normal. The amount of time the dentist will use to scrap a particular spot entirely depends on the amount of tartar present.

Toothpaste Cleaning

When your teeth are finally free from tartar, the dentist will use a high powered electric toothbrush to brush your teeth. This makes some grinding sounds that some of the people fear. The toothpaste that the dentist will use smells and tastes just like ordinary toothpaste, but the dentist will gently scrub the teeth with agranular consistency.

Flossing

The dentist will then do a professional flossing and locate trouble spots that will result in bleeding. The floss will remove any remaining plaque and leftover.

Rinse

The dentist will give you a liquid that contains fluoride to rinse your mouth with.

Fluoride Treatment

Dental cleaning process usually ends with a fluoride treatment that will help your teeth fight cavities for several months. The dentist does this by leaving a foamy gel on your teeth for at least a minute.

You may experience some discomfort after the procedure and increased sensitivity to temperature. You might even experience some bleeding. However, it’s vital to note that these effects will gradually reduce and are not expected to last for a long time. If needed, your dentist will provide you with some painkillers to help in managing pain and discomfort. You might also be advised to gently brush your teeth after the procedures since the gums are still tender. You might also be advised to rinse your mouth with aspecific type of mouthwash or salt water. You will be required to schedule a follow-up appointment with your dentist. During this appointment, the dentist will assess the depth of your pockets. If they have not decreased in size, further dental treatment may be advised.

Prevents Gum Disease

Gum disease is a bacterial infection that is caused by plaque. The plaque may build up and harden if it is not regularly removed forming tartar, which is difficult to clean. Bacteria in the plaque produce acids that irritate the gums resulting in inflammation and gingivitis. If the bacteria are not removed, the inflammation may continue leading to more advanced stages of gum disease.

Stops Tooth Loss

Gum disease begins from plaque that has built-up on your teeth, which is the main cause of tooth loss. As gum disease advances, plaque moves further into your gum line and teeth where it damages your jaw bone causing your tooth to become loose and fall out. However, the possibility of this happening may be greatly minimised through regular dental cleaning.

Reduces Bad Breath

Maintaining proper oral hygiene is the most efficient way of keeping persistent bad breath away. Irrespective of you brushing and flossing your teeth regularly, getting a dental cleaning once in a while is the best way to keep your mouth odour-free and healthy.

To have a Brighter Smile

Personal habits such as drinking beverages like coffee, tea, sodas, wine and tobacco use can result in teeth discolouration. Certain medications can also cause teeth staining. Dental cleaning by your dentists can help remove such stains and promote good oral health.

Helps Maintain Your Overall Health

Research has proven that there is a connection between a person’s oral health and overall body health. Recently, studies have associated stroke and heart attacks to gum disease. Having a dental cleaning at least twice a year will help reduce the possibilities of suffering from strokes and heart attack. Additionally, with regular dental cleaning, your dentist will be able to identify a health problem at its early stages.

It Supports Your Efforts At Home

Everyone is recommended to practice proper oral hygiene at home. Flossing, brushing and rinsing your mouth is very important in maintaining your oral health, but they are not enough. There are hidden and hard to reach places of your mouth that floss, toothbrushes and mouthwashes cannot tackle but dental scalers can.

It Develops a Good Habit

Many children are often taken to a dental office for their first time for teeth extraction; this makes them develop fear towards the dentists. By ensuring you visit a dentist for regular dental cleaning will develop a good habit that a person will carry up to the next years of their lives.

To Make the Most of Your Dental Benefits

Most dental plans have either no or low coinsurance for regular preventive dental care such as checkups twice a year or dental cleanings. If you take advantage of your dental benefits, you will be capable of saving your money by avoiding more expensive oral procedures that result from poor oral health.

The importance of visiting a dentist at least twice a year simply cannot be overstated. One of the best ways to prevent plaque building up and to get into your gums is through regular dental cleaning. Moreover, the dentist will be able to catch gum disease during its early stage and reverse it without using no-invasive and costly treatments. He or she will also suggest the best diet for your teeth and offer recommendations that will enable you toprovide care to your teeth in the best way possible.

People with a family history of gum disease may want to see their dentist more than twice a year. This will help lower the risk of developing such conditions thus enabling you to maintain strong and healthy teeth for as long as possible. To schedule your next dental cleaning, call us at Carrum Downs Dental Clinic or fill an online request form.