The Premier Modbury Dental Clinic – The term “oral health care” covers a range of practices that have the common aim of keeping the teeth, gums and mouth healthy. Good oral health care means that a person has a better chance of having healthy teeth and is less likely to need dental procedures. They are also less vulnerable to tooth decay and loss, gum disease and other unpleasant effects of not taking care of their oral health.
The exact type and combination of oral health care offered will depend on the patient’s issue(s). For instance, a patient in the early stages of gum disease may receive a scale and clean along with oral health education to ensure the problem doesn’t recur.
It’s important to know that many practices are interlinked and are part of a bigger picture. This involves the patient being proactive about their oral health and maintaining great oral hygiene practices, such as regular brushing, daily flossing and reducing sugar in their diet.
Here’s a look at some of the practices that dentists carry out as part of their oral health care service, to keep their patients’ smiles attractive and healthy.
A scale and clean is a procedure a dentist carries out to remove any build-up of plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) from teeth that even meticulous brushing and flossing can’t manage.
This is not something that can be carried out at home and can only be done by a dental professional (a dentist or dental hygienist) with the correct equipment.
That’s why it’s so important to go for a regular scale and clean. Many dentists recommend it to be done twice a year as part of a regular oral care routine.
For a scale and clean, the dentist or dental hygienist starts by removing stubborn plaque on the teeth. They can do this with an ultrasonic scaler, which uses high-frequency vibration to dislodge the plaque. The patient’s mouth is then flushed through with water spray to ensure that all the plaque and small particles of food are washed from the mouth.
Next comes the scaling procedure. The dental professional uses a scaler to gently scrape away plaque and tartar from the teeth. Then teeth are polished with a special paste to help get rid of bacteria.
As part of the procedure, the patient may be offered fluoride treatment. The dental professional applies a fluoride gel to the teeth to protect them against harmful bacteria and acid. The result is a fresh and clean set of teeth ready for the next six months!
Periodontal care focuses on keeping the gums and bones that support the teeth healthy and treating periodontal disease, also known as gum disease.
Gum disease is generally caused by inadequate oral hygiene, often in combination with a poor diet. In the early stages, known as gingivitis, gums appear red or swollen and can bleed. If gingivitis is left untreated, it can lead to the more serious stage of gum disease known as periodontitis. This is when the gums recede from the teeth, there may be bone loss, and the teeth may become loose or fall out entirely.
Periodontal care for gingivitis involves a scale and clean to thoroughly clean the mouth and minimise plaque, tartar and bacteria. This may be accompanied by root planing, where rough patches on the roots of teeth are smoothed so that they are less likely to trap bacteria.
The dentist may also correct any misaligned teeth, badly fitting crowns, bridges or other restorative work.
Patients will also be advised on a good oral hygiene routine, which may include using special toothpaste and mouthwash and flossing. Treatment for gingivitis means that the condition can be reversed.
However, treatment for periodontitis is more complex. The patient may be offered a scale and clean, root planing and antibiotics as the first line of treatment. They may require a surgical procedure such as bone grafting to hold damaged teeth in place, soft tissue grafting to replace lost tissue or pocket reduction surgery. This is to reduce the size of the pockets between the teeth and gums where bacteria can accumulate.
The Best Modbury Dental Clinic in the region.
“The Modbury Dental Clinic offers more than just dental services.”
