Frequently Asked Questions

Preventative

How can I keep my teeth healthy?:

It’s important to brush your teeth, as well as your gums and tongue, at least twice a day using fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristle brush. Be sure to replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if it frays.

Floss your teeth every day to remove food particles and plaque from between the teeth and below the gum where a toothbrush cannot reach. Flossing strengthens the gums, reduces bleeding, and prevents gingivitis.

Be sure to eat a healthy and balanced diet that includes fiber-rich or harder foods such as fruits and raw vegetables. They not only help to clean your teeth, they help the gums and supporting tissues stay strong.

Limit the amount of foods you eat that are soft, sticky, or sugary. These foods will encourage the build up of plaque and increase your risk for decay.

Most importantly, you should schedule oral exams and cleanings with your dentist and hygienist every six months. They can recommend what methods or products may be best for you. With regular check ups, minor problems can be caught early so that we can prevent them from becoming major problems.

What is plaque?:

Plaque is a soft, sticky, colorless substance that accumulates on the surfaces in the mouth including the tongue, gums, teeth, partials, dentures, braces, etc. It contains bacteria and the toxins they produce. These bacteria can cause decay and gum disease.

Soft, sticky, and sugary foods encourage the buildup of plaque and cause some bacteria to produce acids that break down (demineralize) the surfaces of teeth to begin the decay process.

Other bacteria produce toxins that cause gingivitis and periodontal disease. Whengums are irritated by the toxins, they become red and swollen and eventually pull away from the teeth causing deep pockets between the teeth and gums. These periodontal pockets allow bacteria and plaque to build deeper and deeper below the gum line, spreading infection to the tissues and bone that support the teeth. This is called periodontal disease.

What is periodontal disease?:

Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues and bone supporting and surrounding teeth. It is often painless until it becomes severe. Certain bacteria present in plaque release toxins that are destructive to the tissues and bone supporting the teeth. As the pockets become deeper, the supporting tissues pull away from the teeth, and the bone begins to break down. Eventually the teeth loosen and cannot be saved.

How can periodontal disease be treated?:

Scaling and root planing is a form of periodontal therapy that can successfully treat the early stages of periodontal disease. By cleaning deep below the gumline, the tissues heal and the pocket depths are reduced. Even if bone loss has begun, scaling and root planing can help prevent periodontal disease from progressing if good oral hygiene is practived.

Another form of treatment is the Arestin in conjunction with scaling and root planing. Arestin is an antibiotic (minocycline HCL)delivered directly into the periodontal pocket to fight an infected area. Over about a 14 day period, the Arestin microspheres are slowly released to fight the infection and allow the gums to heal.

Periodontal treatment procedures vary for each individual. If your condition is severe, it may be necessary to refer you to a periodontist (periodontal specialist) for surgical treatment.