For teeth experiencing notable decay, restorative treatment can help halt and prevent further damage from compromising your smile. To avoid decay, you must attend routine dental visits and properly care for your teeth. While your teeth are certainly essential structures to care for, it is also important to recognize the need for complete oral health care. In today’s blog, your Ankeny, IA dentist discusses the importance of periodontal maintenance and what steps you can take to prioritize your gum health.
Oral Health Encompasses More Than Teeth
Properly caring for your smile requires considering all factors that can affect it. This includes examining your diet, frequency of your at-home preventive routine, and in-office care. It also means inspecting the surrounding tissues around your teeth to ensure they are healthy and plaque-free.
Your gum tissues serve an important and necessary role by securely housing your oral structures and providing protection from harmful bacteria. If a person does not brush their teeth or floss routinely, plaque will begin to build around and between the teeth. As this substance persists, bacteria begin to damage and easily work their way between the tissues. Without intervention, this process will continue to progress into periodontal or gum disease.
Signs and Symptoms
To reduce your likelihood of developing gum infections, you should floss routinely after every meal, or at least once a day. Food often gets lodged between teeth, and if it is not removed, also feeds bacteria that contribute to periodontal disease.
To prevent gum disease, you should take care to familiarize yourself with indicators of healthy tissues and signs of disease or infection. Healthy gum tissues should be pink, attached to the teeth, and not hurt to touch. If your gums are bleeding, appear to be inflamed, or are detached from your teeth, it is important to reach out to your dentist. For more information or to schedule your next visit with our office, give our team a call today.
Treatment Options for Gum Concerns
If bacteria begin to work their way beneath the gum line, plaque will begin to form on the teeth roots themselves. Not only does this create a separation between the tissues and structures, but can also contribute to weakened teeth roots. Fortunately, options exist for the stages of gum inflammation and disease. While the more advanced stages cannot be reversed, they can be maintained or controlled with routine care.
Learn More Today
If you are experiencing inflamed, bleeding, or overly sensitive gums, it is crucial you do not put off scheduling an office visit. Contact Dental Impressions in Ankeny, IA by calling (515) 965-0230 to schedule your periodontal appointment with our team today.
