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Periodontal Maintenance San Francisco If you have gum disease, you know how important it is to keep your gums as healthy as possible so that you can keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible. One of the most important aspects of keeping your gum disease in remission is to undergo periodontal cleaning between three and four times per year. Here is an explanation from San Francisco Dental Arts about the importance of periodontal maintenance. What Is Periodontal Maintenance?Periodontal maintenance sounds like a very technical term, but the explanation of periodontal maintenance is actually quite straightforward. Periodontal maintenance is a deep cleaning of your gum tissue, both above and below the gumline. Periodontal disease occurs when bacteria cause a gum infection. You have bacteria in your mouth all the time that help you prepare food for digestion. While beneficial bacteria are important for digestion, bad bacteria cause gum disease and tooth decay. Periodontal disease occurs in three stages. Stage one, which is called gingivitis, is the only stage of gum disease that is both treatable and curable. You may have gums that are bleeding, red, or swollen, especially after you brush and floss. Periodontitis includes both stage two and stage three of gum disease. If you have been diagnosed with periodontitis, your gum disease can be treated, but it cannot be cured. If you have periodontitis, your gums pull away from your teeth, which creates spaces between your teeth and gums. These spaces or pockets between your teeth and gums must be kept clean to reduce the chances you will lose your teeth or make your gum disease worse. The better you can clean and maintain your gums, the healthier your teeth and gums will remain. That is where periodontal maintenance comes in handy.  Benefits of Periodontal MaintenancePeriodontal maintenance has several significant benefits for gum health. First, regular periodontal maintenance reduces the likelihood of tooth loss. The main reason adults lose teeth during adulthood is because of gum disease. Adults with advanced gum disease often lose teeth because their gum tissue, which provides structure and support for their teeth, erodes. The healthier your gum tissue is, the less likely you are to lose your teeth. Also, if you are undergoing regular periodontal maintenance, your teeth will be healthier, and your breath will be fresher. Because gum disease is caused by bacteria, the same bacteria that is causing your gum disease contributes to tooth decay and halitosis. By having regular gum cleanings, you are lowering the amount of bacteria in your mouth, which helps your teeth and your breath. Through regular periodontal maintenance, you also improve the overall appearance of your teeth and gums. Many people with advanced gum disease worry about the aesthetic appearance of their gum tissue, especially when they smile. However, periodontal maintenance reduces the redness, swelling, and receding gums, which can dramatically improve the appearance of your smile. Periodontal Maintenance vs Regular CleaningNearly all adults undergo regular dental cleanings twice a year. Dentists call these cleanings and checkups prophylaxis cleanings because they are used to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. During a traditional dental cleaning, you have your teeth cleaned by a dental hygienist using dental tools to eliminate plaque and tartar. Your teeth are then polished, and our dentist examines them, as well as your other mouth structures, for any issues you may be having. Undergoing regular dental cleanings is one of the best ways to prevent issues with your teeth and gums. Periodontal maintenance occurs when you already have periodontitis. Rather than having only a dental hygienist clean your teeth and gums, our dentist or a periodontist, as well as a dental hygienist, use tools to get rid of as much plaque and tartar on your gums as possible. The deep cleaning for people with gum disease is called scaling and root planing. In addition to deep cleaning your gum tissue, periodontal maintenance also includes reattaching tooth roots that may be loose into the clean gum tissue. Hopefully, once a patient undergoes scaling and root planing, their gum tissue will reattach to their jawbone, and their teeth will continue to have structure and stability.  Periodontal Maintenance ProcedureLike regular tooth and gum cleanings, the periodontal maintenance procedure has several steps. First, our dentist or hygienist will take a look at your teeth, gums, and other oral structures to observe any serious issues in your mouth. Next, a dental professional will use tools to scrape tartar from your teeth and gums above the gum line. After the teeth and gums above the gum line are clean, our dentist or dental hygienist will then use tools to clean the pockets between your teeth and gums, as well as remove tartar that is present below your gumline. Once your gums are as clean as possible, our dentist or dental hygienist will smooth down your tooth roots to help your gum tissue reattach to your teeth. Smoothing out the tooth roots after your deep cleaning helps rid your gum tissue of bacteria. While our dental professionals are deep cleaning your gums, they will put medication into your gum pockets to alleviate discomfort and treat your gum infection. You will also get your teeth polished to smooth them out and whiten them. Finally, our dentist will take a look at your teeth, gums, and mouth again to make sure they have not missed any other problems in your mouth. How Can I Help Maintain My Teeth and Gums?If you have gum disease, you can take an active role in your gum treatment. Be sure that you are continuing to clean your teeth every time you eat. Use a toothpaste recommended by your periodontist or our dentist to help keep your gums healthy. Usually, these tubes of toothpaste contain two forms of fluoride to harden and protect teeth from bacteria. Also, be sure to eat a healthy diet rich in vitamin D, calcium, vitamins A and C, and phosphorous to maintain your gum health and keep your teeth strong. Try not to overindulge on sugar or carbohydrates because this promotes bacterial growth. If it has been a while since you've been to our dentist, it is time to begin taking care of your oral health. Reach out to San Francisco Dental Arts at 415-854-9396 today to make an appointment! |
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