subject: Gentling Dental Rochester Mn, Periodontal Gum Disease [print this page] Answers to your questions about Periodontal Gum Care and Disease
1. What is a periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is an infection in the gum tissue. Consists of three different phases, the first phase is gingivitis. In this phase, it is reversible and good home care and a general cleaning like your dentist help reverse it. The second phase is periodontitis and the third phase is advanced periodontitis. Periodontitis involves infection around the tooth and the supporting tissues and it is not reversible.
Once you have periodontitis it will stay with you for the rest of your life. But it can be kept under control with good oral hygiene and with general dental care from your dental hygienist and maintaining that care throughout your life time. Advanced periodontitis involves even more bone loss and more disease in the tooth and supporting structures. Advanced bone loss may need referral to a specialist.
2. What is the difference between periodontal cleaning and regular cleaning?
A periodontal cleaning is a deeper cleaning, it is more meticulous and is more involved and a regular cleaning is cleaning of the plaque or bacteria, the stains and the calculus or the tartar of the tooth. But during a periodontal cleaning it is more involved in the root structure of the tooth.
3. Do I need to have x-rays?
x-rays are a way to show us what is happening with your teeth. We can look into the mouth and see certain things but we can not see the bone around the teeth and we can not also see between the teeth. So x-rays are used by the dentist to determine if there is decay between the teeth and by the hygienist in determining what the bone levels look like on the teeth.
4. What do suggest for routine home care?
Everyone should be brushing and flossing. I know every one here gets really tired of hearing I need to brush, I need to floss but what we have to remove from our teeth is bacteria. The bacteria regrows on your teeth every 8-12 hours. That is why we need you brushing twice a day. If you do not brush that long, without often, you are going to have form a periodontal disease start.
The bacteria toxins will start causing infections in the gums. You can use a hand tooth brush or we very often recommend an electric tooth brushes. We also suggest that you try to use your dental floss once a day. 60% of the tooth is cleaned with your tooth brush that leaves 40% of your tooth not being cleaned during that time of home care.
5. My insurance only pays for me to see my dentist twice a year? Should I have it more often?
Insurance only pays for what they feel is a necessary payment. Not everyone falls in the same category. We wish that could be the case but it is not. When you have dental issues you need to be seeing your dentist as often as needed, not what your insurance tells you what you need.
The three most critical steps to having a lifetime of healthy teeth.
1. Brush your teeth after every meal, at least three times a day. Floss at least once a day.
2. Eat a well-balanced diet. Good nutrition helps you maintain healthy teeth.
3. Have your teeth examined and cleaned every six months, more if you have gum disease or other conditions that place you at greater risk of oral health problems.
