Diagnosing and Preventing Periodontal Disease

It can’t be repeated often enough or with enough sternness: Get to your dentist at least once per year for a regular checkup and basic cleaning. A basic appointment takes less than half an hour, so you can do it over your lunch break from work.

Take an afternoon and bring the whole family in for their regular cleanings. Then, you are done until next year, and you and the kids can feel good about establishing this excellent habit.

If you have an all care dental plan, a regular cleaning will probably not cost you a penny. Even if you do not have dental insurance, the cost of a cleaning and examination is very minimal.

Compare this time and expense with the multiple lengthy surgical procedures to treat periodontal disease and the thousands of dollars that could be in your mouth’s future if you don’t get regular cleanings; you can easily see it is worth it to drop in for a quick visit to your dentist once a year at least.

To diagnose and prevent periodontal disease, your dentist or dental hygienist will perform a periodontal probing as part of your regular checkup. It’s not as horrible as it sounds: she will simply use a calibrated probe to measure (in millimeters) how well your gums adhere to your teeth. She will do this for each tooth.

The goal is to have a millimeter number under three. If the number is above three, you may be scheduled for additional procedures, such as a scaling or root planing, to address your receding gums.

Periodontal diseases that go unnoticed for lack of a checkup can progress into very serious diseases. The end results are always pain, tooth loss, and other problems. If caught early enough, periodontal disease is easier to manage and in some cases reverses.

There are no drugs that can treat periodontal disease. Tartar buildup can only be removed by using professional dental tools. If pockets have formed around the teeth, these are cleaned and all the tartar and plaque is removed.

After a deep dental cleaning, your mouth will be given the opportunity to heal on its own if it can. Sometimes loose gums will reattach to the newly smoothed tooth surface. Sections of gum that are unlikely to reattach must be removed.

Good nutrition is important to speed recovery from periodontal diseases. Your dentist may recommend taking vitamin supplements to help heal, especially Vitamin C and Vitamin A. Your dentist may prescribe antibiotics if you have a severe or chronic bacterial infection.

Your normal brushing, rinsing and flossing routine will not reach down far enough to treat periodontal disease on your own. If you have ever neglected your dental health, you need a little help from your dentist to get back on track.

Use those all care dental plan benefits you have available to you. Go to your dentist at least once per year for a checkup and cleaning, and you will save time and money over the long haul.