PERIODONTOLOGY INFORMATION
When do you need to see a Periodontist?
You should consult a Periodontist if you have following complaints-
- Deposits on teeth
- Mobile teeth
- Bleeding gums
- Oral malodour
- Food lodgement
- Sensitivity
- Gum enlargement
- Receding gums exposing root
- Soft and hard deposits on the teeth (plaque & calculus)
- Swelling and inflammation over gingiva
- Hormonal changes- Pregnancy, menstruation, puberty
- Systemic conditions such as diabetes
- Dietary deficiencies- scurvy, Vitamin B complex deficiency
- Dirty teeth and inefficient brushing
- Absence of tongue cleaning
- Food particles stuck in between teeth
- Systemic diseases
- Upper gastrointestinal tract problems
- Wearing of teeth material (Enamel) leading to the exposure of underlying dentinal tubules due to
- Excessive masticatory forces
- Excessive brushing forces
- Acidity/ acid reflux
- Excessive consumption of aerated cold drinks, acidic foods
- Dental caries
- Deposition of dental plaque
It is not advised to regularly brush your teeth using desensitizing toothpaste. Because it has less foam and cleaning action which can lead to calculus deposition over long term. Desensitizing pastes should be used once a day, apply on all the teeth, keep as it is for 3-4 minutes and then rinse it off. You should use other regular toothpaste for proper cleaning once a day.
Most effective way of reducing dentin hypersensitivity is forming an obstructive layer on the exposed dentinal tubule. This can be achieved by repeated application of desensitizing paste or mouthwash. Chemical or ionic interactions are the other mechanisms invented.
Dos
- Brush your teeth twice a day at least for 2 minutes
- Use soft bristled toothbrush
- Always rinse your mouth after eating anything
- Get your teeth cleaned at least once a year by professionals
Don’ts
- Don’t use toothpicks or sharp things to clean interdental areas
- Don’t use hard toothbrush
- Don’t use excessive force while brushing
Getting your teeth cleaned from a Periodontist using ultrasonic scaler is called as scaling. We use mild ultrasonic vibrations to remove the hard and soft deposits from the tooth surface.
Why it is important to get your teeth cleaned from a dentist even though you brush every day?
Soft deposit which is formed on the tooth surface is called as dental plaque. Dental plaque is formed of microorganisms and various proteins from saliva. If it is not removed time to time the soft deposit gets hardened and then it is called as calculus or tartar. Deposition of plaque and calculus hampers gingival health and can lead to gingivitis. If gingivitis is not treated early it leads to periodontitis in which there is loss of underlying bone.
Common misconceptions regarding professional cleaning of teeth
Myth:Teeth become loose after scaling/ultrasonic cleaning of teeth:
Fact:Machine cleaning never cause mobility in the teeth. The teeth are already mobile but they appear to be firm because of hard deposits on teeth. While cleaning we remove these harmful deposits/calculus/tartar. Hence the patients feel that mobility is increased after cleaning.
Myth: Scaling increases hypersensitivity in teeth:
Fact:As we have seen, in the scaling we remove hard and soft deposits from the tooth surface underlying tooth surface is exposed to stimuli. Teeth become sensitive to hot and cold. But don’t worry! This is transient and temporary.Â
What is crown lengthening procedure?
When tooth structure is lost and there is no enough height for the placement of crown on tooth we need to increase tooth height by cutting the gingiva which is called as crown lengthening procedure.
What is curettage?
Sometimes harmful deposits are present below gingiva which cannot be removed by scaling only. We need to clean tooth surface below gum line. Curettage is a treatment where we deeply clean the teeth under local anaesthesia. The difference after curettage can be noted on the radiographs as we cannot see the changes below gum line.
What is flap surgery?
When the deposits are present very deep below gum line where instruments cannot reach we need to do the flap surgery to remove all the harmful deposits and infection from periodontal pockets. In periodontal flap surgery we open the gingival flaps and expose underlying tooth-root surface and bone. We close the flaps after thorough cleaning and debridement using stitches.