Preventing Periodontal Disease With Your Dentist

Healthy gums are very important for strong teeth. Periodontal disease is an infection of the supporting structures of the teeth and is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. It is common in Australia due to a reluctance to visit the dentist.

To help prevent periodontal disease it is important that you maintain a good dental hygiene routine and visit your dentist Wagga on a regular basis.

Preventing Periodontal Disease With Your Dentist
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How does periodontal disease occur?

The main cause of periodontal disease is poor dental hygiene and the subsequent accumulation of plaque, a sticky film of food and bacteria that forms constantly on the surface of your teeth.

It is hard to see plaque, however, if you want to see how well (or how badly!) you are looking after your teeth, your dentist can use disclosing tablets to show you the amount of plaque on your teeth.

Plaque builds up in the spaces between the teeth and gums and produces toxins. These toxins, combined with your body’s reaction to them, destroys the bone around your teeth. Once you have bone loss or bone decay then the bone can not grow back of its own accord. When there has been too much bone loss there is little support for the teeth. The teeth become loose and eventually fall out.

Symptoms of periodontal disease

If you have periodontal disease then you will notice a wide range of uncomfortable and unpleasant symptoms. This includes persistent bad breath, despite brushing your teeth, bleeding of the gums when brushing or flossing, soft, swollen or tender gums, receding gums and wobbly teeth.

Healthy gums are designed to sit tightly against the teeth and do not bleed when you brush them. Therefore, if you notice anything different it is important that you contact your dentist immediately and undergo a thorough examination of your mouth so that any form of gum disease can be treated quickly and thoroughly before it leads to further complications.

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Detecting periodontal disease

Many patients are asymptomatic to begin with, so if you visit the dentist on a regular basis your dentist will perform a thorough examination using a periodontal probe to measure the depth of the pockets in your gums.

The measurement is taken from the bottom of the pocket, attached to the teeth, to the top of the gums. Pockets of more than 3mm is a sign of periodontal disease. In general the deeper the pockets the greater the spread of periodontal disease. Your gums may bleed during probing and this is also further confirmation of disease.

Speak to your dentist in Wagga today and find out more about the treatment options for periodontal disease, as well as how you can maintain better dental hygiene at home to minimise bone loss and restore the health of your gums.

If by the time you visit your dentist periodontal disease has progressed, and you have irreversible damage to your teeth, then you may need to undergo a tooth extraction or your tooth might fall out of its own accord.

In this case you will need to speak to your dentist about replacing your missing teeth. Before they do so you will undergo a treatment plan to improve the health of your gums and prevent further complications in the future.

Disclaimer:

All treatments carry risks. Individual consultation is required with one of our practitioners to ensure that the treatment is right for you.

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