1530 Doris Drive
Fort Atkinson WI 53538
Fort Atkinson WI 53538
According to a report by the CDC in 2012, approximately 65 million Americans are affected by gum disease annually.
Gums play a vital role in supporting our teeth and the bone tissue underneath. When gums are healthy, they’re of a light pink hue. To maintain healthy gums, dentists recommend brushing the teeth at least twice and flossing once a day.
While the human mouth is home to over a million bacteria—the problem occurs when it accumulates on the teeth under a substance called plaque. When plaque gets excessive, the body fights this accumulation of bacteria. This results in a condition called gingivitis, which is characterized by receding gums, bleeding upon brushing and flossing and sensitivity.
When this condition gets severe, it turns to periodontitis, in which the gums recede excessively, resulting in teeth loss.
Sometimes, gum disease is indicative of several other problems in the body, including a heart disease or diabetes. Moreover, it may aggravate symptoms of these conditions as well. It’s important to be mindful of other signs and symptoms that you’re facing and mention it to your doctor.
As mentioned above, our mouth houses colonies of bacteria. Certain foods, such as sugary items and acidic drinks lead to increased production of bacteria. This causes a thin layer of substance to cover your teeth, known as tartar. Over time, this tartar hardens into plaque if not cleaned properly.
When plaque is left uncleansed for a long time, it can cause gum recession and disease. Therefore, regular cleanings are necessary to avoid plaque buildup, while gums that are already affected by plaque can be cleansed by scaling and root planning.
Regular cleaning involves cleaning the part of the teeth which is above the gum-line. It’s beneficial in removing tartar and maintaining good oral health.
Extreme plaque buildup can’t be cleansed by regular cleaning. For this, deep cleaning (scaling and root planning) method is used. This method involves scraping the plaque from the teeth and gum line with a scaler. Moreover, this procedure is followed by root planing in which the dentist cleans plaque from deeper in the teeth’s roots. This is important so that the receding gums may reattach again.
While regular cleanings (prophylaxis) are important to maintain good oral health, you may require periodontal maintenance after an occurrence of a gum disease.
Gum diseases, such as gingivitis or periodontitis result in gum pockets that can be filled with tartar and plaque. After a deep cleaning procedure to remove the plaque buildup, your dentist will suggest you regular periodontal maintenance to clean these gum pockets. This process differs from regular cleanings as it involves deep cleaning the teeth’s roots and gum pockets.
Fort Family Dental offers both regular and deep cleanings at their dental facility. The dentists will first examine your oral health and suggest the cleaning method which is best suited for your condition.