Periodontics focuses on preventing, diagnosing, and treating the issues that affect your gums, like gum disease. Gum disease is one of the most common reasons that people head to a dentist, and an infection of gum tissues is what causes it.
Bacteria in plaque and tartar can make their way below the gumline into gum pockets, triggering a response from the immune system. The body’s attempt to fight the infection is what causes the chronic inflammation associated with gum disease.
Gum disease occurs in two stages. The first is called gingivitis, and it can be reversed with improvements to your oral hygiene and treatments like teeth cleanings. The second stage is called periodontitis, and there is no way to reverse it. However, periodontics can help manage the condition using treatments like root scaling and planing, gum flap surgery, and bone grafts.
Let us go over a few of the things that patients can do to keep their teeth healthy and how periodontics can help.
Brushing twice a day can help keep gum tissues and teeth healthy. Plaque builds up on teeth during the day, and it accumulates at the areas that teeth and gum tissues meet the most. Plaque contains oral bacteria and the acids that they produce.
Plaque can be removed by brushing, so good brushing habits go a long way to prevent plaque from damaging teeth and infecting gum tissues. Plaque calcifies and turns into tartar when left on teeth surfaces for prolonged periods, creating a new set of problems.
Tartar also contains oral bacteria and the acids that they produce, but it cannot be removed by brushing. That means tartar can accumulate on the teeth before a dentist can get rid of it during teeth cleaning. Good brushing habits help keep tartar accumulation on the teeth to a minimum. Gum tissues should be brushed during these sessions as well.
Flossing once per day removes plaque and debris from interdental spaces and the places that teeth meet the gum tissues. Removing plaque and the bacteria inside it from these areas helps combat any infection of the tissues there.
Flossing also helps give gum tissues the stimulation that they need to remain healthy. It is not uncommon for gum tissues to bleed after a long break from flossing. Flossing helps keep gum tissues healthy, making it easier for them to fight off infection.
An antibacterial mouthwash helps limit the bacteria population in the mouth. This lowers the risk of gum tissues becoming infected. Periodontics also provides prescription mouth rinses to patients who have a higher risk of developing gum disease.
Good oral hygiene is just one part of the equation when it comes to keeping your gum tissues healthy. Treatments like teeth cleanings are just as necessary because they get rid of plaque and tartar, protecting you against gum disease. Give us a call or visit our Columbia clinic to set up an appointment with our dentist for more tips on how to take care of your gums.
Request an appointment here: https://columbiadentaloffice.com or call Columbia Advanced Dental Studio at (410) 635-5105 for an appointment in our Columbia office.
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