Why are healthy gums so important?
As we've learned through many scientific studies across all fields of medicine, the mouth is very integral into the rest of the part of the body. Healthy gum tissue and a healthy mouth can help in different areas such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, immune system health, and even GI tract health as well.
How can I tell if my gums are healthy or unhealthy?
The easiest way to know whether or not you need to be seen for a healthy or unhealthy gum situation is, do you find yourself having a lot of bleeding during brushing and flossing your teeth? Are you having any tenderness or swelling? Do you have any bad taste that persists in the mouth that just doesn't seem to go away with normal home care? If so, I think it's time for you to come and visit us for a checkup.
What causes unhealthy gums?
Unhealthy gums can come about for a variety of different reasons. Some of it can be just not being able to reach certain areas. It can also come from different areas not being cleaned or cleansed at home. It can also come from different medications or dry mouth. There are a variety of issues that can cause a gum tissue to turn from healthy to unhealthy.
Can unhealthy gums be fixed?
Unhealthy gums can be fixed. One of the biggest ways in which we can maintain and clean gum tissue is with regular and consistent care. If we can get to issues early in the entire field of dentistry, especially when it comes to gum tissue, we get a better outcome and a much easier process for you.
What is involved in the process of deep cleaning of teeth?
Deep cleaning of teeth, if you've heard the terminology, is when tartar or food has accumulated underneath the gum surface. That leads to a lot of bleeding and inflammation around the mouth. Deep cleaning is the way that we address and clean the root structures and any sort of gum tissue that is infected or inflamed.
Why does it take more than one sitting for a dental cleaning?
Dental cleanings can range into a couple of different settings. A healthy mouth cleaning or prophylaxis or regular cleaning usually takes about an hour in our office. Deeper cleaning can take and be split up into two to three appointments. Mainly for comfort, working on the whole mouth can be a little bit tiring at times. Part of the reason why we tend to split up appointments into half of the mouth at a time is to help patients out with their insurance coverage. Certain insurance companies do not allow for cleaning of the entire mouth in one setting.
Is deep dental cleaning painful?
When you come to our office for a deep cleaning or scaling and root planing, we use a variety of different methods to make sure that you are super comfortable, ranging from topical anesthetic from rinses and gels, ranging to nitrous oxide and traditional anesthesia. We find what works for you and what works for the extent of deep cleaning that you will need.
What are the best ways to take care of my gums at home after a deep dental cleaning?
Your post-operative care after deep cleaning will be tailored specifically to you and your situation. Oftentimes, pain medication over-the-counter may be needed if the extent is throughout the whole mouth. But very often, simply keeping up with good routine home care that we review at the end of your procedure and simple things like warm salt water rinses can go a long way in preventing any sort of discomfort after your dental deep cleaning.
How can I schedule a dental overview?
If you feel like you would like us to take a look at your gum tissue and get your gum tissue nice and healthy, please give us a call here at Briarcliff Dental Group at (252) 651-4419. We would love to help.