Oral Prophylaxis
When you visit your dentist, the hygienist will check for cavities and plaque on your teeth. Plaque is a sticky substance made of bacteria that builds up on the surfaces of our teeth if not removed regularly with brushing or flossing. If plaque builds up and stays on teeth, it can harden into tartar. Tartar does not come off with regular brushing. Scaling is the process of removing this hard layer from the surface of your teeth.
Next, the hygienist checks your gums using a special tool to measure the depth of space between your teeth and gums. Healthy gums should present with shallow spaces, but this may not be true when gum disease is present. There will be deeper gaps and gums that have pulled away from the tooth indicating gum disease.
After your teeth are scaled, a gritty paste helps remove any surface stains on your teeth and the final step is flossing. Your dental professional will use floss to make sure the areas between your teeth are clean. Lastly, a rinse to protect your teeth against decay.
If mild to moderate gum disease is detected, some hygiene treatments can cure this level of gum disease.
If you have more severe gum disease,you may require further treatment to bring that under control. Your dentist may use laser light therapy or gum surgery. But no worries, your dentist is experienced and skilled at providing effective treatments to help control gum disease. Once gum disease becomes severe, it can be hard to cure, but ongoing vigilance can keep it under control to prevent further damage.
There’s no time like the present to care for your teeth.
