Oral Hygiene

• Do you have persistent bad breath?
• Are your gums red, tender or swollen?
• Do your gums bleed while brushing or flossing?
• Have your gums pulled away from your teeth so the root shows?

         These are all symptoms of periodontal disease. If you have periodontal disease, you are not alone; it is estimated that 85% of adults have some form of periodontal disease. That doesn’t mean it is okay, it just means you have a lot of company.
         The severity of the disease is measured by the amount of bleeding caused by routine meaurements of the gums; measuring how many millimeters below the edge of the gum tissue it goes before it solidly attaches to the tooth.
         Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria; unless the bacteria are thoroughly removed by flossing, brushing and rinsing, they will form a biofilm called plaque on the tooth and produce byproducts that irritate the gum tissue causing it to become red, swollen, inflamed and infected. It pulls away from the tooth creating a pocket between the tooth and the gum into which more bacteria migrate moving the disease process deeper and deeper into the tissues; breaking down the attachment of the gingiva to the tooth; causing bone loss between and around the tooth; and filling the blood stream with inflammation products that can damage other systems in the body such as the heart, blood vessels, lungs and pancreas. It has been linked to heart disease, stroke, chronic lung disorders, pancreatic cancer, and low birth-weight babies.
         It is definitely not something to ignore. If your dentist or hygienist is not measuring the depth of the pockets around your teeth every time you go in for an examination, you don’t know if you have periodontal disease or not or how severe it might be.
          Just polishing the teeth with a rubber cup with prophy paste in it will not do very much good if you have periodontal disease. To solve the problem the source bacteria and hard deposits below the level of the gum tissue must be thoroughly removed and the toxins and inflamed, infected tissue that lines the deep pockets must be cleaned out. Then with a change in home-care habits so the plaque is completely removed every day, it is possible to turn the problem around.
         Do your body a favor and get your prophylaxis (cleaning) by a registered dental hygenist now and regularly from now on.