Dental hygiene or oral means maintenance of the mouth, teeth and gums.
Dental Hygiene
407 Blackpool Road , Preston , Lancashire
Call: 01772 – 726932
The Dental Hygiene process…
Dental hygiene begins at home with proper brushing and flossing, but good oral hygiene also requires regular dental visits. Regular check-ups and examinations are a vital necessity for the basis of any preventative dental care plan.
Even with the perfect oral hygiene routine, you can still develop dental problems that you may not be able to spot by yourself. Here, we use special intra oral magnifying cameras so that we can visualise all the angles of your teeth and gums on a large screen. During your dental hygiene visits, we will examine your teeth thoroughly, and will meticulously clean, floss and polish your teeth. X-rays may be taken to evaluate whether you are experiencing any decay or other dental problems, and an oral cancer screening will be done. We will also instruct you on proper home dental hygiene routines.
No matter how thorough an at-home brushing and flossing routine may be, calculus will build up on the teeth over time. As calculus builds below the gum line, bacteria eventually invade the area with the potential to create a host of dental problems. A dental hygienist is trained to eliminate this calculus buildup and eliminate this threat to one’s health. Dental hygienists are specialists at scraping away the hard plaque and removing calculus deposits.
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ROUTINE HYGIENE WELLNESS
What to expect at your check-up appointment:
Visual evaluation of teeth, face, jaw and neck
Digital images to check for cavities and other possible problems
Gum disease evaluation
Professional teeth cleaning and fluoride treatment
Screening for oral cancer
Protecting Your Gums and Surrounding Tooth Structure
Periodontal Cleaning
Periodontal cleaning, also known as deep teeth cleaning or periodontal maintenance therapy, is an ongoing treatment for patients diagnosed with periodontal disease. A non-surgical, minimally invasive treatment carefully cleaned by an experienced hygienist. Periodontal maintenance is required to remove plaque and calculus above and below your gum line. Additionally, clean deep periodontal pockets and smooth the tooth to remove harmful toxins.
Importance of Proper Dental Hygiene
Professional Teeth Cleaning
Effective dental hygiene is vital for keeping teeth and gums in a healthy condition. Maintaining good oral health makes a major contribution to enjoying a healthier and happier life. Our experienced dental hygienist will help you keep your teeth and gums healthy and maintain fresh breath.
Plaque containing bacteria is always building up on teeth and along the gum line. This plaque must be removed or it can harden into tartar and can lead to tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Healthy gums enhance the appearance of your teeth. When your gums become unhealthy, they can either recede or become swollen and red. In later stages, the supporting bone is destroyed and your teeth will shift, loosen, or fall out.
All of our hygienists are well trained to perform thorough teeth cleaning. Our team removes the plaque and tartar from your teeth and then polishes them to remove stains and smooth the tooth surface. In addition to hand-held hygiene techniques used by our skilled hygienists, ultrasonic devices deliver targeted treatments to hard to reach areas. These devices deliver ultrasonic vibrations to crush and move calcified deposits of calculus.
Maintaining Your Oral Health
A good dental cleaning is essential to maintaining your oral health. Even the most conscientious patient cannot reach every deposit of plaque that accumulates in the mouth with daily brushing and flossing.
We encourage our patients to maintain good oral health by coming in for a thorough exam and cleaning twice a year. During your biannual general dentistry check-up, our friendly hygienists will gently yet thoroughly clean your teeth and treat your gums as needed with appropriate therapies.
Periodontal or gum disease is marked by red, tender, and swollen gums. Similar to high blood pressure, high cholesterol or obesity, research has shown the periodontal disease is linked to the development of other very serious health conditions. These can include diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and respiratory diseases like pneumonia.
Unhealthy gum tissue is the result of bacteria collecting near and below the gum line. By brushing your teeth, these bacteria may be introduced into the bloodstream, travel to other parts of the body, and exacerbate existing health conditions. As the tissue breaks down, teeth can loosen, shift, and eventually fall out. Left untreated, gum disease can lead to bone loss and infection of the jawbone.
Cleaning & Prevention
A focus on preventive dentistry helps you maintain the highest standard of oral health while limiting dental expenditures. A partnership between you and our team pays dividends, protecting your smile now and well into the future.
Your diet plays a critical role in oral health as well. Acidic foods and drinks can accelerate deterioration of your teeth, and certain foods can enhance the health of your supporting jawbone and gums. Our team believes in bringing your efforts and ours into balance for optimum health.
Periodontal Therapy
Gum disease continues to be the leading cause of tooth loss in adults today. A devastating condition when left untreated, periodontitis doesn’t have to write your story. But a strategic approach with focused treatment and home care is essential to control this chronic bacterial infection. Plus, this disease can aggravate other serious medical conditions that may seem unrelated to your mouth.
Without regular dental cleanings, harmful bacteria and hard deposits called calculus build up on your teeth above and below your gums. Additionally, the bacteria release harmful toxins that can lead to gingivitis, causing inflamed and bleeding gums.
Oral Cancer Screening
Development of oral cancer is on the rise. When detected in the early stages, most oral cancers respond very favorably to treatment. The risk of developing oral cancer increases five times with smoking, two and half times with excessive alcohol use and thirty-two times in the presence of a persistent HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) infection.
The dentist will look over all the tissue in your mouth, including your tongue, lips, and cheeks, checking for anything abnormal. They will also feel for any unusual lumps or bumps and make recommendations for follow up if necessary.
Gum Disease
FAQ,s
How is gum disease diagnosed?
To find out if you have gum disease, your dentist or dental hygienist will do an examination to look for:
- Bleeding gums.
- Hard buildups of plaque and tartar above and below the gums.
- Areas where your gums are pulling away or shrinking from your teeth.
- Pockets that have grown between your teeth and gums.
Your dentist or dental hygienist may take X-rays of your teeth to look for bone damage and other problems.
What causes gum disease?
Gum disease is caused by the growth of germs called bacteria on the teeth and gums. Bacteria are present in plaque, a clear, sticky substance that your mouth produces.
- The bacteria in plaque feed on sugars in the foods you eat and drink and make poisons (toxins) and other chemicals. The toxins irritate your gums, causing them to swell and bleed easily when brushed.
- In time, plaque can harden into a buildup called calculus or tartar. This irritates the gums even more and causes them to pull away from your teeth.
Things that make you more likely to get gum disease include:
- Not cleaning your teeth well at home and not getting regular dental cleanings.
- Smoking or chewing tobacco. People who use tobacco are much more likely to get gum disease than those who don’t. They also have more serious gum disease that leads to tooth loss and is hard to treat.
- Having gum disease in your family.
- Having a problem that weakens your immune system, such as a high stress level or a disease like diabetes, AIDS, or leukemia.
- Eating a diet that is low in vitamins and minerals, which can weaken your immune system, or high in sugary foods and carbohydrates, which help plaque grow.
How can you prevent gum disease?
Gum disease is most common in adults, but it can affect anyone, even children. So good dental habits are important throughout your life.
- Brush your teeth 2 times a day, in the morning and before bedtime, with a fluoride toothpaste.
- Floss once each day.
- Visit your dentist for regular checkups and teeth cleaning.
- Don’t use tobacco products.
What are the symptoms?
Healthy gums are pink and firm, fit snugly around the teeth, and do not bleed easily. Gingivitis causes:
- Gums that are red, swollen, and tender.
- Gums that bleed easily during brushing or flossing.
Gingivitis usually isn’t painful, so you may not notice the symptoms and may not get the treatment you need.
In periodontitis, the symptoms are easier to see, such as:
- Gums that pull away from the teeth.
- Bad breath that won’t go away.
- Pus coming from the gums.
- A change in how your teeth fit together when you bite.
- Loose teeth.
If you think you have gum disease, see your dentist right away. Early treatment can keep it from getting worse.
What are some risk factors?
You may be at risk for gum disease if any of the following apply to you:
- Tobacco and alcohol use
- Systematic diseases
- Genetics
- Pregnancy
- In addition, the following types of prescription drugs may also increase the risk of gum disease. Talk with your dentist if you are taking:
- Steroids
- Cancer therapy drugs
- Oral contraceptives
- An anti-epilepsy drug
- A calcium channel blocker
How can I tell if I have gingivitis or periodontitis ?
4 out of 5 people have periodontal disease and don’t know it. In the early stages, there is often no pain and the disease will go unnoticed. Having no signs and symptoms is common and makes regular dental visits and daily brushing/flossing vital. Periodontal disease often begins with gingivitis, a film of bacteria left on the teeth. Symptoms can include red and puffy gums, bleeding gums, bad breath, loose teeth, receding gums, pus, teeth spacing, and discomfort.
Can my gums become strong and healthy again?
Yes, the combination therapy between hygiene visits and deep scaling, will allow your gum tissues to try and reattach and become healthy and strong, while tightening the pockets and improving inflammation. The goal with periodontal therapy is to stabilize your tissue and prevent any further bone loss, helping you retain your healthy teeth and prevent tooth loss.
Mouth-Body Connection
Current research continues to establish clear links between bacterial disease in your mouth and ailments in other parts of the body. Studies show a link between oral bacteria and conditions such as heart disease, stroke, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and certain types of cancers. The integration of oral and general health has never been better understood than it is currently.
Bleeding gums provide a direct pathway into the bloodstream, a journey that toxic oral bacteria can quickly take. In fact, if bleeding gums connected into one single patch, it would create a 2 x 2-inch square. If an open wound of this size existed on your skin, infection would be a concern. Bleeding, infected gums offer this open door to your body and sit saturated in colonies of bacteria. This helps explain why researchers continue to identify oral bacteria deposits in various areas of our bodies.
Diabetes and other auto-immune disorders lower the body’s ability to fight infection, allowing uncontrolled gum disease to advance faster and with more destruction. Research also confirms that the inflammation in the mouth can aggravate diabetes, making it harder to control. This two-way relationship between two chronic conditions emphasizes the importance of optimal oral health.
Clinic H0urs
Monday to Friday 09.00 – 17.30