Dental Hygiene & Gum Disease Treatment
Dental Hygiene
& Gum Disease Treatment
Since oral health is closely linked to the body's systemic health, helping our patients prevent gum (periodontal) disease and prevent tooth loss is one of our team's primary goals. Our team of registered dental hygienists strive to provide our patients with thorough, yet gentle hygiene treatment.
There are 2 main forms of Gum Disease: Gingivitis and Periodontitis. They both involve inflammation (“itis”) of the gums (Gingivitis) with possible irreversible bone loss (Periodontitis) leading to tooth loss. The body reacts to bacteria under the gumline sending out fighter cells (inflammatory cells) that attempt to destroy the bacteria but in doing so they also destroy healthy tissue supporting the tooth and eventually destroy the bone. The tartar (hard plaque) is like a sliver or stony substance that destroys the tissues surrounding the tooth.
A “gum pocket” is the distance measured from the gum to where the bone is. This is measured using a periodontal probe (“gum ruler”). 2-3 mm “pockets” are generally considered healthy. 4 mm or more may be a sign of inflammation only or bone/attachment (gum fibres) loss. Even if the tartar is removed and the gum tissues tighten (gum pockets decrease) the periodontitis may continue without having to go through the gingivitis stage.
Active therapy (AT) is treatment of periodontal disease by scaling the teeth to remove all plaque and tartar. It may require one or several appointments to complete depending on the amount of plaque and tartar accumulation and severity of the disease. Each area of the mouth will be scaled to completion (to the depth of the pocket) so no debris is left behind to cause further damage. If an area is not scaled to completion and tartar remains below the gumline, the gums can partially heal, tighten up and make it difficult to reach the remaining tartar and thus allowing progression of the disease. To avoid discomfort, local anaesthetic (“freezing”) is available. If there is a history of bone loss, it often requires a patient to have professional periodontal treatment at least every 3-4 months to prevent recurrence. If gum pockets persist after periodontal treatment, a gum specialist “periodontist” may need to be seen for gum surgery to reduce the gum pockets.
Risk factors for Periodontal Disease
poor dental hygiene
poorly contoured dental restorations (ie fillings, crowns, etc)
smoking
chewing tobacco
high levels of stress
clenching/grinding (can cause traumatic periodontal bone loss)
systemic conditions – Diabetes, Down’s Syndrome, AIDS etc.
medications (steroids, oral contraceptives, blood pressure medications, etc).
genetics (familial history of periodontitis)
Early signs of Periodontal Disease
bleeding gums
red, swollen (“puffy”) gums
bad breath or bad tast
loose/shifting teeth
dull ache in gums/(”itchy”) feeling
pain/tenderness in gums
gingival recession (“gums slipping down root of tooth”)
occlusion (“bite”) changes
changes in the fit of dental appliances
Treatment of Periodontal Disease
scaling (removing hard plaque deposits)(+/- local anaesthetic - freezing)
re-evaluating gum healing - gum pockets shrink once the plaque and hard tartar (like a sliver under your fingernail) are removed
- usually done after 6wks (after hygiene treatment completion)
periodontal maintenance - once all plaque and tartar are removed, a periodontal maintenance schedule is recommended every 3, 4, 4.5 or 6 months. Any dental cleanings that exceed the recommended interval may experience an increase in periodontal bone loss and loss of their teeth.
maintaining a healthy diet, regular dental cleanings (periodontal treatment) and good oral hygiene. Possible referral to a specialist in gums (periodontist) may be necessary.