Brush, brush, brush. Do it at least twice a day with a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.
Although brushing and flossing are equally important, brushing eliminates only the plaque from the surfaces of the teeth that the brush can reach. Flossing, on the other hand, removes plaque from in between the teeth and under the gumline. Both should be used as part of a regular at-home, self-care treatment plan. Some dentists also recommend specialized toothbrushes, such as those that are motorized and have smaller heads, which may be a more effective method of removing plaque than a standard toothbrush.
Treatment for periodontal disease may even help lower other health risks. For example, research has found that treating gum disease helped people with diabetes and prediabetes. It lowered their blood sugar levels and reduced their need for insulin. Another study in 2http://www.articlecat.com/submitarticles.php
Article Directory and Catalog | Free Web Content Articles | ArticleCat.com007 showed that intensive treatment for gum disease helped to reverse atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risks in some cases. Still, despite the best efforts, some patients with periodontal disease do not respond to treatment at all.
Ensuring your gum health starts with you. Practicing common sense habits like brushing your teeth at least twice a day and adding in flossing as well are the best things you can do. Taking care of your overall health has more bearing on the health of the teeth and gums than most people realize. In other words, eat well, drink enough fluids, and exercise to keep your immune system in the best possible shape.
Periodontal therapy is done by a dentist and a dental hygienist. You will be scheduled for one or more intensive teeth cleanings called deep scaling. The hygienist will scrape all of the built up plaque and tartar that has accumulated down below the gum line. You have to get rid of the plaque so that your gums can get healthy again. The only way is scraping it off. Sometimes there is a lot of bone loss and periodontal surgery will need to be done to tighten up the gums around the roots or the tooth with sutures.
If gum disease has progressed to periodontitis, you may need more extensive scaling to remove plaque and tartar from the pockets that have formed. This can take several appointments with the dentist or hygienist. You may need to have your gums numbed with an injection of local anaesthetic before the scaling, and you may feel a little discomfort afterwards. Your dentist or hygienist will monitor the size of the pockets during the following months to make sure the treatment has been successful and the periodontal disease is not getting any worse.
AAP treatment guidelines stress that periodontal health should be achieved in the least invasive and most cost-effective manner. This is often accomplished through non-surgical periodontal treatment, including scaling and root planing (a careful cleaning of the root surfaces to remove plaque and calculus [tartar] from deep periodontal pockets and to smooth the tooth root to remove bacterial toxins), followed by adjunctive therapy such as local delivery antimicrobials and host modulation, as needed on a case-by-case basis.
Osseous (bone) surgery sometimes accompanies flap surgery. In osseous surgery, some of the bone around the tooth is reshaped. In certain cases, a bone area may be employed to replace lost bone. Splints or other appliances may be used to stabilize loose teeth temporarily and may be necessary after completion of periodontal therapy as well.
