1) We want our to patients have healthy gums. The gum tissue is the foundation on which all dental treatment is based. Healthy gums lead to better oral and overall health.
2) We want our patients to have healthy teeth. Teeth are not only important for a beautiful smile, but they help us eat our food. Healthy eating habits will lead to a long life.
3) We want our patients to have healthy mouths. The lips, cheeks, and tongue are all part of a beautiful face and they can indicate whether or not the body is healthy.
This Month:
Want to live longer, feel better, and be attractive to the opposite sex? Floss!
Scientists have discovered that there is a line between gum disease and many diseases of the body. People who have uncontrolled gum disease are more likely to have heart attacks, strokes, low birth weight babies, ulcers, diabetes, and pancreatic cancer. The bacteria that cause gum disease cause inflammation in the gum tissue. The inflammation in the mouth does not stay there. It moves throughout the body and affects other organs. These bacteria are also responsible for bad breath. They live deep in the gums and excrete sulfur filled compounds that cause bad breath.
The best way to prevent gum disease and to keep it under control is through proper, regular brushing and flossing. There is no way to remove all of the bacteria from the mouth or to change your body’s response to those bacteria, but you can reduce the amount of bacteria by brushing and flossing. Brushing at the gum line removes the bacterial plaque that forms there. Brushing is not enough because it does not remove the plaque that builds up in between the teeth. This is why daily flossing is important. The twice a year cleaning at the dentist’s office is not enough to prevent or control gum disease.
Over time the gum infection causes the gums and bone to pull away from the teeth. If this is not controlled, the teeth will loosen, painful gum abscesses will form, and the teeth will be lost. This is called periodontitis. People with periodontitis need more than the twice a year cleaning. They may need to come in 3 or 4 times a year to remove the bacterial plaque or they may need what is called “deep cleaning.” The proper name for deep cleaning is scaling and root planning. The dentist or hygienist gets part of the mouth numb and using ultrasonic and hand instruments removes the tarter and plaque from below the gum line. The roots are also smoothed to give new plaque less room to grow on. For some people the gum disease has progressed so far that even deep cleanings are not enough. They need to have surgery on the gums to remove the tarter, plaque, and diseased bone and gum tissue.
So if you would like to live longer, feel better, and be more attractive to the opposite sex, take care of your gums by brushing and flossing daily and by seeing the dentist regularly. If you would like your gums looked at (and the rest of your mouth as well) please call our office today for an exam and x-rays.
