How to prevent gum disease and have a healthy, attractive smile
Gum disease is very common and is a leading cause of tooth loss. Fortunately, Smile in Style can assist you to protect your teeth and gums from this devastating disease and slow its progression if it has already started. When treated early in the disease process, gum disease can even be reversed.
What is gum disease?
Gum disease is characterised by the inflammation and loss of the soft and hard tissues that support teeth. Our hygienists in our Moonee Ponds and Sunbury rooms, work closely with all of our patients to identify gum disease and treat it early. Gum disease is primarily caused by bacteria that thrive off starches and sugars in food particles that have not been removed from between teeth and around the gum line. The bacteria then produce a sticky, destructive film called plaque. If dental plaque is not brushed away, it can erode teeth causing decay and will then form tartar on your teeth.
The best line of defence is prevention. By consistently having good oral hygiene. Our hygienists can advise you on the most effective methods of brushing and flossing your teeth and talk to you about oral care products that can make cleaning easier. Please be aware that your home care routine is not a substitute for professional dental services. Once plaque builds-up and forms tartar on your teeth, it cannot be removed with a standard toothbrush. No matter how good you clean your teeth, you will still get some build up of tartar on your teeth. This is why a visit to the dental hygienist is so important. Our dental hygienists have the training and are equipped with the tools to gently and effectively remove this stubborn tartar that bacteria live on. This is something that you can’t do at home yourself.
This is why we recommend professional cleanings at our office every six months. During these preventative care appointments, our hygienists will assess the condition of your teeth and gums. They can detect early-stage inflammation (gingivitis) before symptoms may present themselves. Often, when patients notice signs like blood on their toothbrush and when they floss, the damage may have already begun.
Tailored therapies for Gum Disease
Once picked up early, if we cannot resolve gingivitis by professional cleaning and changes to your home care routine, other therapies are available at our Moonee Ponds and Sunbury rooms to help you. The specific treatment that we may recommend, depends on the severity of the gum disease.
Firstly, we would recommend a scale and clean of all of your teeth to remove any built up tartar and also measure your gum levels to determine the extent of the pocketing of your gums. For the teeth with gum disease or “pocketing” we would recommend:
- Deep scaling and root planing– This is a non surgical “deep clean” to more aggressively remove built up tartar that is below the gum level. By cleaning below the gum line and smoothing the rough root surfaces, bateria no longer have anything to attach to and the clean tooth surface will encourage gingival healing and reattachment to the teeth.
For individuals with more severe forms of periodontitis or advanced gum disease, the following therapies may be recommended:
- Laser-assisted dentistry – Dental Lasers are able to disinfect the areas with gum disease and also remove built up tartar. This process is a painless, precise, and an efficient alternative to conventional surgical methods. Then over a number of months, with good oral hygiene at home and use of other therapies like the Biosure Ozonated Tumbler which makes Ozonated water for you at home, the gums are given a good chance to repair themselves, and prevent further loss of gums and tooth structure.
- Regenerative treatments – If the gum and bone tissues have been lost due to gum disease, we can try to rebuild up these soft and hard tissues. Options may include gum and bone grafting. Grafts may be sourced from one’s own body using platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) biomaterial that is prepared from the patient’s own blood and can be used as a membrane for root coverage purposes to repair lost or deteriorated tissues.
Contact Smile in Style before you experience bleeding or pain when brushing. Remember that inflammation of your gums is not normal and it is a warning sign for you to seek dental care. Our teams can protect your gums and keep your smile looking great. Phone 03 8400 4104 or 03 8001 6021 to reach our offices in Moonee Ponds and Sunbury, VIC, respectively.
