Quite a few adults don’t like going to see their dentist. A lot of folks hate time in their dental chair more than most other things, and they’ll come up with great excuses not to go.
On the other hand, missing or skipping dental cleanings carries the huge risk of developing gum disease, since bacteria never skip or miss living in your oral cavity. Periodontitis is a term which refers to the inflammation of your gum line which might range anywhere from painful to hazardous.
Mucus and bacteria can mix inside your mouth to create a sticky material that dentists call plaque. Most everyone knows that flossing and brushing every day will get rid of a lot of plaque, or at least reduce it, but not everyone follows their daily routines with care.
If plaque stays on teeth, it eventually may turn into actual tartar. No level of flossing or brushing will get rid of tartar. Only your dental hygienist and periodontist are the ones that can get tartar off of your teeth. That’s why going to routine appointments is crucial.
Tartar will contribute to gum inflammation that can trigger pain and even hurt your teeth. Gingivitis is a form of periodontitis that is mild enough to often be reversed through frequent flossing and brushing, on top of good dental cleanings. If this disease progresses, damage might become permanently irreversible.
When you consult with your periodontist, you can learn the various risk factors for serious gum disease, as well as the steps you can take to ever prevent it from first happening. Some frequent factors that might contribute include smoking, puberty or menopause in women, blood sugar control problems, diabetes, medications both over the counter and prescription, systemic diseases like HIV or cancer, and even genetic susceptibility. You can talk to your dentist about these various risk factors as well as to develop the right action plan to minimize your chances.
Should you still develop a serious case of gum disease, you might have numerous treatment options. Your periodontist can possibly try root planing or scaling, which are deep-cleaning techniques. Scaling might involve removing tartar from both below and above the gum line with an invasive technique such as scraping. Root planing will smooth out particular bumpy spots that are on your teeth. Such bumpy spots can turn into gathering places for the bacteria that make you even more susceptible to gum disease. Advanced cases might even mean a periodontist uses a laser to remove plaque and tartar. A lot of removal techniques for tartar might trigger swelling, discomfort, inflammation, and pain. Using laser techniques can significantly reduce such negative side effects.
Schedule an appointment with a periodontist near you right away if you want to discuss your oral hygiene and health with a professional. That individual can give you a robust evaluation of all your teeth and gums before outlining the action plan that lets you maintain the health of your mouth in the coming years.
