The health of your gums is important, as these tissues frame your smile and also support your teeth. By improving your periodontal health with preventive dentistry, our team can help your smile stay beautiful and whole. In today’s blog, your Ankeny, IA, dentist talks about protecting periodontal health with preventive dental care.
The Causes of Periodontal Disease
How does a smile develop gum disease? The issue starts when various factors cause inflammation, also known as gingivitis. The causes of inflammation could include poor brushing and flossing habits, or a diet high in sugar, as these factors lead to plaque buildup, which irritates and inflames the gum tissues. Other factors include tobacco use, inflammatory illness, or the use of certain medications. A family history of the disease is also a contributing factor. As part of your treatment, we will examine your smile to assess the cause of the disease, so we can plan the best preventive approach.
Warning Signs and Complications
When should you see our team? Let us know when you experience changes to your smile, such as soreness in the gums, redness, or bleeding when you brush and floss. You could also experience swelling, or even recession that makes teeth appear longer than ever. Without treatment, the disease could cause periodontitis, the stage linked to tooth loss. To keep your smile whole and beautiful, you need to see our team for treatment!
Taking a Preventive Approach
Our team can examine your smile to see if we can offer a deep cleaning. Also known as a scaling and root planing, this involves removing all harmful plaque and tartar from the teeth and the roots with an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual pick. We also destroy harmful pockets of bacteria too. Afterward, we could offer a traditional cleaning every three to four months to manage the issue and keep your smile strong and healthy.
Our team can also discuss better homecare habits, such as brushing for two minutes when you wake up and then doing so again before bed, and also flossing thoroughly before bed. These actions help remove the particles of food and drink that could feed harmful bacteria, causing the plaque buildup that inflames the gums. You should also consider cutting back on the sugar and starch in your diet, and avoiding tobacco products.
If you have any questions about how we can use a scaling and root planing to manage the disease and protect your smile, then contact our team today to learn more and get started!
Dental Impressions Talks About Preventive Dentistry
We want to help you avoid the dangers of untreated periodontal disease with preventive dentistry. To find out more about improving periodontal health, then call Dental Impressions in Ankeny, IA today at (515) 965-0230.
