Preventative Gum Care

Healthy gums and Jaws provide the foundations for healthy teeth; they surround the tooth from its crown to its root in the jaw, keeping your teeth firmly in place. Looking after your gums is just as important as looking after your teeth, and without routine cleaning gum disease can occur.

The common signs and stages of gum disease are:

1. Red, swollen gums that bleed when you brush them are a sign of a type of gum disease called gingivitis.
2. When gingivitis is left untreated it can develop into a type of infection known as periodontitis, which affects the entire area surrounding a tooth, causing discomfort, tooth loosening and difficulty when eating.
3. Eventually this kind of infection can lead to tooth-loss and may require invasive procedures to replace the missing tooth.

Gum disease can be avoided by attending regular hygiene check-ups with Smile4U and maintaining a good daily hygiene routine at home. A personalised home care plan will be implemented for you by our friendly dental team. The team will take time to tailor a home care routine which may include manual or electric tooth brushes and flossing, interdental brushes or waterpiks to clean between teeth. This customized home care plan in addition to appropriate recall hygiene visits with your dentist helps in the preventing the development and progression of gum disease.

Dental hygiene treatment is delivered by a specially trained dental hygienist or dentist who will, amongst other things, help to remove any hard-to-reach plaque and tartar from your teeth that may have built up over time.

Here is what you can expect from a hygiene appointment:

1. Your teeth and gums will be assessed to determine the amount of plaque removal required and any associated risk factors will be explained.
2. Your teeth will be professionally cleaned with special equipment and pastes. This process is also known as ‘scaling and polishing’.
3. The hygienist’s role is to then show you how to look after your teeth so that they remain plaque-free in the future. You will be advised on the best tooth brushing technique and given tips on flossing and using interdental brushes.
4. If other areas of concerns are noted your dentist will be called in to assess and discuss appropriate treatment options with you.

Dental hygiene at our practice also functions preventatively to treat gum disease and bad breath. If you have a bridge, denture, orthodontic treatment or a dental implant you may have specific hygiene needs that the hygienist will be able to assist you with.

It is recommended that you come in for regular hygiene appointments to ensure your teeth and gums stay clean and healthy for life.

What can my dentist do to help?

1. Your dentist will conduct a thorough examination of the gums and teeth, checking how your teeth bite together, whether you have loose teeth and whether your gums are receding.
2. Periodontic treatment involves both home and practice-based care. It is essential you have good oral hygiene to prevent the development of plaque, so your dentist or hygienist will advise you on the best way to clean your teeth at home.
3. In the practice, your dentist may carry out debridement, also known as root planing, which involves thorough cleaning of teeth and associated gum pockets to remove any plaque or bacteria. Some people opt to have a local anaesthetic or happy gas for this procedure to minimise discomfort.
4. If the treatment does not work or if you have deep or inaccessible gum pockets, your dentist may suggest a referral to a specialist periodontist.

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a very common problem of which there are many different causes. Bad breath can be reduced by following a daily oral hygiene regime and cutting down on sugary foods and drinks and smoking. Regular trips to the hygienist will also ensure your plaque levels are kept under control.

Causes of bad breath include:

1. Chronic bad breath may have an underlying medical cause potentially related to the throat, nose or lung infections, sinusitis, bronchitis, gastro-intestinal conditions or diabetes.
2. Poor dental hygiene. Without regular brushing and flossing, bacteria and bits of food can get trapped in between your teeth, which can then release an unpleasant odour.
3. Smoking.
4. Consuming strong, odorous foods like garlic, onions and coffee.
5. Issues related to the gastrointestinal tract or respiratory tract.

If you are aware that your breath is not as fresh as you would like it to be, make an appointment with the dental hygienist for some advice and assistance.

Pregnancy can be an exciting time and while you have so much to plan for, your oral health may be one of the last things you’re thinking about. However, It’s particularly important to pay close attention to your teeth and gums at this time.

Reasons why pregnant women should take extra care with their oral health:

1. The hormone progesterone can be raised up to ten times higher than the normal level during pregnancy. This can affect your body’s response to toxins and make it more susceptible to developing periodontal disease, also known as ‘pregnancy gingivitis’.
2. Some pregnant women also develop a growth on their gums known as a ‘pregnancy granuloma’. These are red nodules, usually found on the upper gums and while they are not dangerous, they can cause discomfort.
3. Pregnant women may suffer from dry mouth and tooth erosion as a result of repeated exposure to acid from severe morning sickness.

If you are pregnant we recommend that you come to the practice for a thorough check-up so that we can help you to have a healthy teeth and gums which promotes a happy and healthy pregnancy.

Many studies have shown that smoking and using tobacco products has a detrimental effect on your teeth and gums in addition to general health. Tobacco affects the gum tissue cells, making smokers more prone to infections in the form of gum and periodontal diseases.

Here are some oral health problems which can be caused by smoking:

1. Bad breath.
2. Stained teeth.
3. Jawbone loss, shrinking gums and mobile teeth and tooth loss.
4. Mouth sores, and poor healing of mouth sores.
5. Decreased senses of taste and smell.
6. Mouth cancer.

As dental professionals it is important for us to tell you the risks of smoking and to help you to quit by giving you information and support. By cutting down or, ideally, quitting smoking your oral health can benefit very quickly and you may notice changes in your mouth almost immediately. It is essential that you come into the practice for regular check-ups so that we can help you maintain good oral health and give you advice and encouragement.

Fluoride varnish is applied to teeth by your dentist to help prevent decay. It is painted on to the surface of the teeth and contains high levels of fluoride, which strengthen the tooth’s enamel and helps to make it more resistant to decay.

Fluoride varnish can be used on both baby and adult teeth and needs to be applied every six months. At Smile4U we recommend children from the age of three years upwards should have fluoride varnish to help keep their teeth strong and healthy. Most people find that it is convenient to have their teeth treated with fluoride varnish during the six-monthly dental check-ups.

Treatment with fluoride varnish can sometimes cause temporary discolouration of the teeth. This will not last for long, but you should not brush your teeth for a few hours to give the varnish time to work.