Each and every day your mouth interacts with your environment whenever you laugh, speak, eat, and breathe. You may not think about it much, but this exposure means that bacteria and other outside elements are in constant contact with your oral cavity. This is why practicing a rigorous hygiene routine is critical to protecting the health and appearance of your smile. In particular, preserving your gum health can be just as important as protecting your teeth as your gingival tissues secure them strongly in place within your mouth. Healthy gums prevent oral bacteria from infecting your jawbone and disintegrating this crucial connection. In fact, gum disease is the number one cause of missing teeth among adults, so maintaining your gum health means maintaining your full smile!
Your Ankeny, IA, dentist understands the importance of prioritizing healthy gums at each and every visit to our practice. When you visit for a routine cleaning and checkup, removing plaque and tartar that cause tooth decay helps you prevent gingival infection as well! A six-month check-in can also allow us to catch an existing case of gingivitis before it progresses into a more permanent form of gum disease. While advanced disease must be treated on an ongoing basis, when we treat it in its first stage, there is the possibility of full reversal. Therefore, make sure not to skip a single dental appointment!
Dental Checkups Help Preserve Your Gums
By attending a general checkup and examination on a semiannual basis, your dentist can inspect the efforts of your daily oral hygiene routine. This means they identify if you are fully removing bacterial deposits that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Your hygienist assists by removing deposits that you cannot treat on your own at home as well. These preventative efforts maintain your healthy tissues and can stem the need for more extensive periodontal or restorative treatment.
Periodontal Therapy Can Save Your Teeth
If we do discover an advanced case of gum disease, we can place you on periodontal maintenance to treat your symptoms and remove pockets of bacteria that contribute to your infection. Deep cleaning allows us to go below your gumline and access plaque that a standard cleaning cannot reach. The goal of this therapy is to preserve the health of your jaw and gums to allow your teeth to remain secure in place.
Speak With Your Ankeny, IA, Dental Team About Caring For Your Gums!
Regularly visiting your dentist allows us to inspect the health of your gums and perform cleanings to remove plaques that contribute to gum disease as well as tooth decay. To schedule a visit, call your Ankeny, IA, dentist’s office at 515-207-6182. We also serve patients who live in Alleman, Elkhart, Bondurant, and all surrounding communities as well!
