Management Of Gum Disease In Epsom

Gingivitis and periodontitis are common oral health issues, and ones that need continual care and monitoring

You may have seen the advertisements on TV where the model spits into the sink after brushing their teeth and discovers blood in their saliva? This is a typical TV advert often used to sell specific toothpastes. Whilst it has helped to highlight the problem of gum disease, it may also have given people a false sense of security if this hasn’t happened to them. In fact, bleeding gums after brushing is just one of the many symptoms that you might have if you have gum disease.

If your gums are sore or inflamed, your teeth are a little wobbly, or even if you have persistent smelly breath, these are all potential symptoms of gum disease and it is also possible to be almost symptom free whilst the infected gums cause damage to your oral health. For this reason, the Clocktower Dental Implant & Facial Centre stresses the importance of ongoing care and maintenance of your overall oral health.

Not just a one off

Unlike some illnesses, gum disease is not something that you have and then, once treated, never get again. The fact is that both gingivitis and periodontitis occur when the relevant bacteria in the oral cavity gets out of control and multiply faster than we can get rid of it. As it does so, it will start to attack the teeth of our Epsom patients, often leaving them with unpleasant side effects and an increased risk of tooth loss if not treated in time.

Although this might seem like yet one more thing for us to worry about on top of other issues such as how to pay our bills etc, the good news is that it is a battle that is relatively easy to win for many of us. Some patients, such as those with diabetes and other illnesses that affect the immune system may have to be more diligent, but even then, gum disease can be effectively managed with improved home care and the help of our friendly local hygienist.

Get a head start

The chances are that, like many people in the UK, you haven’t really given a whole lot of thought to your gums. As many of us will have suffered from toothache as a child, we probably brush our teeth well, not wishing to repeat the experience. Even if we think we take good care of our teeth though, there are many ways in which this can often be improved, as we will see a little later.

To get your new gum health regime off to a great start, we recommend that you see the hygienist at our Epsom clinic. They play an important role in the fight against gum disease. Not only will they discuss your general oral health with you and make recommendations as to how you can improve your oral care at home, based on your lifestyle, but can also provide a treatment that will get you off to an excellent start in maintaining a healthy mouth free of gum disease. This treatment typically takes part in 3 stages and is non-invasive and painless.

Stage one – If you haven’t had this done before, or a while ago, there is a good chance that you will have developed a ‘crust’ of bacteria and minerals that have hardened on your teeth and around the gum line. This can’t be removed by simple brushing, however well you do it. The first stage is to use a dental scaler. This is a hooked implement that is used to scrape away the majority of this hardened material, known as tartar or calculus. This isn’t painful but may, in some cases, feel a little uncomfortable, especially when applied between the teeth. Any discomfort should be relatively minor and few people are troubled by it.

Stage two – Having removed the bulk of the tartar/calculus, a sonic implement is used. This produces sonic vibrations which start to shatter most of the remaining tartar. This is not an unpleasant sensation and the removed material is sucked up using a special tool at the same time.

Stage three – The final stage is to brush your teeth by using a special brush and paste. This will help to remove any tiny fragments that still remain in small pits and grooves on your teeth and will leave your mouth feeling fresh and clean.

Before you have this procedure, run your tongue along your teeth and the gumline and then compare it afterwards. You will notice that the rough surface that you previously felt will now be smooth and that any minor surface staining of your teeth will probably have gone too.

Most people will require this treatment every six months or so, but those groups more at risk of gum disease, as mentioned earlier, may require this to be done more frequently. The hygienist will advise the appropriate timescale.

Remember too, that once you have had this treatment carried out, the responsibility to maintain good gum and general oral health is down to you until your next appointment. Please do try to follow any advice that you have been given such as to use dental floss. If you do this, you should be able to maintain a healthy mouth for many years to come.

To make a start on improving your oral health, and good gum health in particular, please make an appointment to see a hygienist by calling the Clocktower Dental, Implant & Facial Centre on 01372 720136.