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Periodontal Care
Each mouth is unique and everyone has different dental needs, but before you undergo any cosmetic or restorative treatment, we will comprehensive examine your mouth and thoroughly clean your teeth. During a check-up and cleaning, we may discuss certain periodontal treatments that you need before we can proceed. Since many patients aren’t expecting this, they often have a lot of questions.
- How often do I need to have my teeth cleaned?
- I have it done more often?
- What is periodontal disease?
- What are gingivitis and periodontitis?
- Most dental problems are painful. If I’m not in pain, can I still have periodontal disease?
- If everybody has periodontal disease, what can I do to keep from getting it?
- I'm afraid of pain. Will periodontal treatment hurt?
- What’s the difference between scaling and cleaning?
- What is root planing?
- What is a periodontal maintenance procedure?
- What else can Tippit Dental Group do to help me prevent periodontal disease?
How often do I need to have my teeth cleaned?
Many people believe they should have their teeth cleaned twice a year. This idea actually originated from a 1940 toothpaste advertisement! Today, many dentists and hygienists set up a cleaning schedule based on the patient’s personal needs, not by a pre-set timetable. This may be as often as four times a year.
My insurance only pays for teeth cleaning twice a year. Why should I have it done more often?
Most benefit plans are designed to cover only a portion of the total cost of your dental treatment. While a twice-yearly insurance payment teeth cleanings is common, that payment arrangement has no relationship to the treatment a patient might actually need.
Many patients need more frequent cleanings. People who have heavy plaque and tartar are prime candidates, as are people who are generally healthy but have certain types of systemic conditions, such as diabetes.
What is periodontal disease?
Bacteria are always present in your mouth and on your teeth. When you don’t brush properly, bacteria and its byproducts can overwhelm the mouth’s defenses. This causes periodontal disease, an inflammation and/or infection of the gums, ligaments, and bones that support the teeth. When your gum tissue remains infected, it can erode bone and cause abnormal pockets around the roots, exposing them to further infection. This can eventually cause the loss of teeth as well as spread bacteria throughout the body.
What are gingivitis and periodontitis?
Gingivitis is an early stage of periodontal disease. Gums may be red, swollen and bleed easily. At this stage, the disease is reversible. If you are experiencing symptoms, call our office and schedule an appointment to evaluate the problem.
Periodontitis, a more severe stage of the periodontal disease, may result from cases of gingivitis that are left untreated. With this condition, supporting structures of the teeth may be damaged. Tooth loss is common and complicated measures must be taken to protect remaining teeth.
Most dental problems are painful. If I’m not in pain, can I still have periodontal disease?
Yes. More than half of the population over the age of 18 has some form of this disease. More than 75% have it over the age of 35. Unfortunately, you may not realize you have periodontal disease since it isn’t painful until the later stages. By this time, it’s too late to prevent damage. The only way to protect yourself is to schedule regular check-ups
If everybody has periodontal disease, what can I do to keep from getting it?
Like most dental conditions, detection and prevention are the keys. We can gently scan for signs of the disease in its early stages to help head off problems before they escalate - but only with regular check-ups. In between visits to our office, establish and maintain the best possible oral health by brushing with fluoride toothpaste and flossing twice a day.
If you do have periodontal disease, we can treat it effectively in our office, or refer you to a periodontist for specialized treatment.
I'm afraid of pain. Will periodontal treatment hurt?
We take a very conservative, non-surgical approach to periodontal treatment in all but the most advanced cases, which require more aggressive treatment. Our highly effective measures are designed to provide maximum benefits, while limiting your discomfort.
Over the course of three scheduled visits, we provide consultation, deep cleaning, education and instruction to both correct the effects of the disease and prevent future instances. In cases where deep scaling is required, local anesthetics are used to ensure our patients' comfort. After treatment, we do follow-up appointments to make sure your gums and teeth are responding positively.
What’s the difference between scaling and cleaning?
Scaling means to use a dental instrument to remove deposits from the teeth. An electric device called an ultrasonic or sonic scaler may also be used. This scaling is performed on the part of the tooth that is above and below the gum line. Cleaning or polishing the teeth can remove stains and some plaque, but the teeth cannot truly be cleaned without scaling. It would be like rinsing dirty dishes instead of washing them with soap and a dishcloth. The deposits on top might come off, but the dish would still be dirty.
What is root planing?
Root planing is part of a therapeutic (healing), meticulous, and time-consuming treatment designed to remove toxins and bacteria from the root surfaces of the teeth, thereby allowing the body’s immune system to begin the healing process. Tartar and diseased tissue are scaled away. These procedures are used as a complete treatment in some stages of periodontal disease. Root planing is considered to be a critical element in establishing periodontal health. .
What is a periodontal maintenance procedure?
After a patient has been treated for periodontal disease, either with root planing and surgery, or root planing and scaling, a standard cleaning and check-up recall is no longer appropriate. Typically, an interval of three months between appointments is effective, but more frequent appointments may be needed. As in many other chronic conditions, successful long-term control of the disease and prevention of tooth loss depends on continual, and possible, lifetime maintenance.
What else can Tippit Dental Group do to help me prevent periodontal disease?
It doesn’t hurt to review your brushing techniques with the dentist or hygienist. Over-zealous brushing may irritate gums, causing them to bleed. Clean between your teeth with dental floss or an interdental cleaner (a special pick, stick, or brush) each day. We also can explain the correct way to floss or use an interdental cleaner so you can prevent bleeding.
