My Blog
Archive:
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013
- 2012
Tags
- celebrity smiles (75)
- oral hygiene (25)
- loose dentures (1)
- pediatric dentistry (16)
- oral piercings (1)
- oral health (26)
- bridge (2)
- dental implant (2)
- gum disease (13)
- cosmetic dentistry (12)
- Cavities (1)
- Fight Cavities (1)
- oral cancer (3)
- x-rays (1)
- dental implants (16)
- Dentistry (2)
- Missing Teeth (2)
- Fillings (2)
- False Teeth (1)
- Gaps (1)
- Crowding (1)
- Cosmetic Treatment (1)
- Family Dentistry (2)
- Regular Cleanings (1)
- Tooth Fillings (1)
- Root Canal Therapy (1)
- pregnancy (1)
- dentures (4)
- CEREC (1)
- Dental Crowns (1)
- One Visit Crowns (1)
- smile makeover (2)
- tooth decay (7)
- nutrition (6)
- fluoride (1)
- crowns (5)
- Bridges (2)
- orthodontics (7)
- teeth whitening (4)
- medication (1)
- aspirin (1)
- Same-Day Crowns (1)
- Root Canal (3)
- sinus surgery (1)
- braces (7)
- gummy smile (2)
- teeth wear (1)
- wisdom teeth (5)
- birth control (1)
- dental anxiety (1)
- porcelain veneers (2)
- Invisalign (2)
- age one dental visit (1)
- Removal Dentures (1)
- mouthwash (1)
- cosmetic gum surgery (1)
- bonding (1)
- periodontal disease (1)
- flossing (1)
- athletic mouthguards (1)
- pediatric care (1)
- root canal treatment (7)
- mouthguards (6)
- apicoectomy (1)
- orthodontic treatment (11)
- retainers (1)
- sugar (2)
- tooth erosion (1)
- bad breath (1)
- pain management (1)
- abscessed tooth (1)
- root resorption (1)
- toothache (2)
- chipped teeth (2)
- chipped tooth (3)
- dental exam (1)
- thumb sucking (1)
- teeth grinding (2)
- apioectomy (1)
- tooth grinding (1)
- laser dentistry (2)
- trigeminal neuralgia (1)
- facial pain (1)
- topical fluoride (2)
- veneers (1)
- periodontal surgery (1)
- teething (3)
- tooth extraction (1)
- mouthguard (1)
- bruxism (1)
- night guard (1)
- gum recession (2)
- dental injury (5)
- tads (1)
- retainer (2)
- cleft lip (1)
- cleft palate (1)
- sports drinks (1)
- eating disorder (1)
- loose tooth (3)
- gerd (1)
- pulp capping (1)
- extraction (1)
- dental cleaning (1)
- dental care (1)
- bone grafting (1)
- tooth pain (2)
- dry socket (1)
- dental injuries (1)
- dry mouth (1)
Categories:
If you ever get out of the habit of daily brushing and flossing, you’re setting yourself up for dental disease. Neglecting oral hygiene allows bacterial plaque to build up on tooth surfaces, which can give rise to aggressive gum infections known collectively as periodontal (gum) disease.
Gum disease may first manifest itself as gingivitis, an inflammation of the outer gum tissues around teeth. Resuming hygiene habits could help reduce the infection if it’s detected early enough. If the infection has spread deeper below the gum line, though, brushing and flossing won’t be able to reach and remove the offending plaque — you’ll need our help with that.
The objective of any such treatment is the same as your daily brushing and flossing — remove plaque as well as hardened deposits (calculus) that cause disease. The most basic technique is called scaling in which we use specialized hand instruments (scalers) or ultrasonic equipment to loosen and remove the plaque and calculus from all tooth and gum surfaces.
For deeper plaque, we may need to use a technique called root planing. As its name implies, we use equipment similar to scalers to shave or “plane” plaque, calculus, bacteria or other toxins from the roots that have become ingrained in their surfaces.
These procedures are often carried out with local anesthesia to ensure patient comfort and allow us to be as meticulous as possible with plaque and calculus removal. It’s imperative that we remove as much plaque and calculus as possible, and which often involves more than one session. This is because as the gum tissues become less inflamed it allows us to access more plaque-infested areas during subsequent sessions.
Hopefully, these techniques will arrest the infection and restore good health to gum tissues. It’s then important for you to recommit and follow through on a renewed daily hygiene regimen to reduce the chances of re-infection that could lead to more serious problems and potential tooth loss.
If you would like more information on treating periodontal (gum) disease, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Root Planing.”
