Periodontics

Patients often don’t experience pain with gum disease, but they might notice bad breath, a change in how their teeth fit together when they bite or bleeding while brushing or flossing. However, those symptoms can be easy to miss or dismiss, so it’s important to keep your regular dental appointments. General dentists look for warning signs of periodontal disease when they perform regular hygiene exams, but it can be beneficial to have a periodontist take a look as well.

During an exam, periodontists check the colour of your gums, whether they are receding from your teeth, if there are gaps between them & your teeth & how easily they bleed. But they also look at your bite (or how your top & bottom teeth line up when you close them) & whether any of your teeth feel loose. Additionally, periodontists are well-trained in identifying whether a patient is at higher risk of developing gum disease.

Gum disease has been shown to have a relationship with other medical conditions, so a patient’s risk isn’t confined to their dental situation. Those with heart disease, diabetes & pregnancy are at higher risk for developing periodontal disease. Patients being treated for any of those conditions should inform their dentist or periodontist. Additionally, age, diet, genetics, medications, stress, grinding & smoking habits affect your risk.

The good news is that if you are at higher risk for periodontal disease, you can take measures to prevent it. Keeping up with regular at-home hygiene, making sure to floss at least once every day, is the best thing you can do for prevention. Also, don’t miss your six-month clean visits. If your dentist or periodontist believes you are still at higher risk, they might recommend more frequent cleans or regular deep cleans.

A deep clean, also known as scale & root plane, is the gold standard of periodontal care. A scale is the process of cleaning tartar & plaque from teeth under the gums & a root plane describes smoothing those same surfaces so bacteria doesn’t as easily stick to them.

Let us help you keep your teeth & gums strong & disease-free with regular checks & cleans.