Dental Hygiene

Teeth Cleaning

Every patient should have their teeth cleaned by a dentist on a regular basis. Maintaining good oral health and preserving dental restorations are essential goals of these appointments.

The American Dental Association recommends dental cleanings every six months for the average patient. This is a reasonable number of visits, but in many cases, it is excessive. The reason for this is that your dentist should examine your teeth and recommend how often you should have them cleaned. Your dental and overall health will be taken care of if you follow our team’s advice and have cleanings every three to four months or so. To avoid dental issues like decay and periodontal disease, it is essential to follow this advice.

What can I expect during my dental cleaning appointment?

The dental hygienist will first conduct a “periodontal probing depths” exam during a cleaning visit. Dentists can use that information to diagnose gum diseases. The hygienist will perform a preventive cleaning, also known as prophylaxis or “prophy” in patients with no infection. Ultrasonic instruments are used to remove plaque and tartar from the teeth during this cleaning procedure. Afterwards, the teeth are cleaned and polished with high-performance brushes to remove staining. A fluoride mouthwash will also be recommended by a dental hygienist. To prevent tooth decay, fluoride may also be applied by the dentist.

When it comes to patients with gum disease, the cleaning process is different. To heal gums and remove tartar below the gumline, a prophylactic cleaning will not suffice. In this case, additional periodontal therapy, such as scaling and root planing, will be recommended by the dentist. It’s called “deep cleaning,” and it’s a more extensive cleaning procedure.

What is Gingivitis?

Gingivitis, or gum inflammation, is a common dental condition. It’s an early stage of periodontal disease as, if left untreated, it can progress and damage the bone tissue that holds teeth in place.

An appointment should be scheduled with us if a patient notices bleeding while brushing or flossing their teeth. If your doctor sees any signs of gingivitis during the consult, he will recommend a course of treatment. Knowing that this condition is treatable and reversible in its early stages is essential.

How is Gingivitis treated?

Gum disease, or gingivitis, can be brought on by a variety of factors, the most common of which is a buildup of dental plaque along the gum line. This plaque causes the gums to become inflamed, resulting in bleeding.

Professional cleanings and daily home care (brushing and flossing with a proper technique) are the most common methods for reducing inflammation.

But in some cases, additional resources like dental lasers and antimicrobial rinses are needed to remove all the bacteria and reduce the inflammation of the mouth.

It is critical to treat this disease as soon as possible. Untreated gingivitis can lead to periodontal disease, a condition that causes irreversible damage to the tissues of the periodontal arch.

What are the most common signs of Gingivitis?

Bleeding gums are the most common symptom of gingivitis. While brushing or flossing, most patients notice this bleeding, but it can also occur on its own. Halitosis (persistent bad breath) is a common symptom, as is the inability to keep your breath fresh after brushing.

Make an appointment at Red Bud Dental if you notice any bleeding, persistent bad breath, or swollen and tender gums. Your oral health will be evaluated by Red Bud Dental, who will make treatment recommendations based on his findings.

Periodontal Therapy: Scaling and Root Planing

A deep-cleaning procedure known as scaling and root planing (SRP) is used to treat periodontal disease in patients. Teeth roots are cleaned and polished during this procedure to remove dental plaque and hardened tartar. Two or more appointments are typically required for SRP, and in some cases, numbing is necessary to make the procedure more comfortable for the patient.

Dentists can sometimes use a medical rinse or an antibiotic therapy to remove bacteria from the root and surrounding gum tissue.

How to treat late-stage periodontal disease?

Later stages of gum disease are more difficult to treat as the tooth’s root loses a significant amount of bone tissue. If the disease worsens, the only solution is tooth extraction and replacement with a dental bridge or implant.

Periodontal disease is one of the most common causes of tooth loss. At Red Bud Dental, we take extra care to prevent periodontal disease because:

We encourage our patients to schedule regular appointments with our dental office and to practice good oral hygiene at home in order to keep the disease under control early on and avoid more serious complications.