Why are healthy gums so important?
Healthy gums are important because that's where everything starts in our mouth. The health of the supporting foundational structures of our teeth, which starts with your gums, is just as important as having good healthy teeth above the gums. If you don't have healthy gums, you can lose bone, and if you lose enough bone, you lose teeth.
How can I tell if my gums are healthy or unhealthy?
You can tell if your gums are healthy or unhealthy by paying attention when you brush. If your gums bleed a lot when you brush or floss, that's a sign they could be unhealthy. Pain, discomfort, and bad breath are also signs that your gums and bone might not be healthy.
What causes unhealthy gums?
Unhealthy gums can be caused by not brushing or flossing and not taking care of them. Even people who do take care of their teeth can have unhealthy gums if they are not seen for regular treatment. Plaque, which can grab calcium from our saliva and cake it onto our teeth, can also cause unhealthy gums.
Can unhealthy gums be fixed?
Yes, unhealthy gums can be fixed. There's a limit to what we can do based on how far the patient lets things go. But things can always be fixed and made better. This might involve treatments such as laser and ozone therapy, regular cleanings and polishing, and providing you with prescription strength toothpastes and mouthwashes.
What is involved in the process of deep cleaning of teeth?
Deep cleaning of teeth involves going down as far as the pocket goes in your mouth. The pocket is the area between the tooth and the gums. If the pocket depth is deeper than three millimeters, that requires a deeper cleaning to get down to the base of that pocket and get your gums clean again.
Why does it take more than one sitting for a dental cleaning?
It can take more than one sitting for a dental cleaning if we're doing a deep cleaning. Normally to clean half of a mouth in a deep cleaning it takes an hour and a half, so many people choose to do it in two separate appointments.
Is deep dental cleaning painful?
Deep dental cleaning can be uncomfortable if we have to go down further than three millimeters underneath the gum tissue. We use different methods to numb and keep the patient comfortable.
What are the best ways to take care of my gums at home after a deep dental cleaning?
After a deep dental cleaning, it's important to continue normal brushing and flossing. We may also provide you with prescription-strength mouth rinses, toothpastes, and a special peroxide gel to use at home.
At what point is gum grafting necessary?
Gum grafting is necessary if the patient's in pain, usually due to sensitivity from losing a lot of gum tissue in recession. Sometimes we'll do it for appearances, or to help stop the process of recession.
How can I schedule a dental appointment?
At Integrity Dental, you can schedule an appointment with our front office with an email or a phone call to (719) 545-2468. We also communicate through texting.