Do your daily habits protect the health of your gums? Your mouth is a sensitive part of your body that is constantly exposed to outside bacteria whenever you eat, speak, or breathe. Practicing a rigorous brushing and flossing routine helps fight the accumulation of bacteria that threaten your oral health. Without proper preventative care, these microorganisms can infect your gums, cause dental decay, and even lead to full tooth loss. Because your gums cannot regrow after receding, you must develop appropriate behaviors to preserve their strength. Your Ankeny, IA dentist is an important partner in protecting your periodontal health. At each dental visit, we examine your gums and perform a routine cleaning to bolster their health. If we determine that an infection is present, we offer advanced services to remove harmful bacteria and support long-term care.
Daily Habits That Protect Against Gum Disease
Proper oral hygiene seeks to protect you against more than just cavities and tooth decay. When you practice a thorough daily oral care regimen, you clean the spaces where your teeth meet the tissues of your gums. This prevents bacteria from gathering and eventually infecting periodontal tissues. You must floss each day in addition to brushing to ensure that these spaces are properly cleaned. The combination of these two behaviors greatly increases your effectiveness in preventing potential infection.
The Importance Of Routine Dental Examination and Cleaning
You can best support your efforts to protect your smile at home by making regular visits to your dentist’s office. We help you avoid potential difficulties with your periodontal health by performing examinations and cleaning your teeth. Your gums protect the teeth by forming a tight seal and securing them in your jaw. This also prevents bacteria from entering deep into the jaw tissue. When they become infected, the seal weakens and causes damage to your tooth and bone structures. Therefore, we will check for signs of gum disease during examination.
How Deep Cleaning Fights Periodontal Infection
When treated promptly, the earliest stage of gum disease can often be reversed. However, more advanced stages require continual maintenance and observation to protect your gums. If we detect advanced infection, we will suggest performing a deep periodontal cleaning, known as scaling and root planing, to halt the progression of the disease. Scaling removes bacterial deposits both above and below your gumline. We then smooth the roots of your teeth to assist the gums in reattaching themselves.
Meet your Ankeny, IA Dental Team and Maintain Healthy Gums!
If you want to enjoy the robust health of your smile, it is key that you protect your gums. Left untreated, gum disease can lead to tooth loss. Routine checkups allow your dentist to examine and treat periodontal infection. To schedule an appointment and seek more information, call your Ankeny, IA dentist’s office at 515-207-6182. Additionally, we serve patients who live in Alleman, Elkhart, Bondurant, and all surrounding communities as well.
