Cleaning and Prevention
It is important to come in for regular check ups (exams, cleanings, and xrays) to prevent break down of your teeth, gums, and supporting bone structure in your mouth as well as to check for any signs of oral cancer. Some of the bacteria in your mouth are constantly multiplying and cause cavities by eating your teeth and turning it into sugar. While other bacteria focus on using your bone around your teeth as food and turning it into sugar. Everyone has both kinds of bacteria in their mouth, some more aggressive than others. It is very important to disrupt these colonies of bacteria with regular brushing, flossing and rinsing at home. It is important to see your dentist so that the hard deposits left on your teeth (like castle walls to protect the colonies of bacteria) can be removed. These deposits, called "Calculus or Tartar", make home care nearly impossible to even the most seasoned brusher and flosser.
Once you have been seen for your initial exam, you will be given a diagnosis of how your gums and bone supporting your teeth are doing. The diagnosis can be one of these three: 1. Controlled/Healthy 2. Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) 3. Periodontal Disease (bone loss around the teeth has occurred). From this diagnosis, Dr. Hanson will set you up on your re care program of either every 6-12mo for a controlled/healthy patient, every 6mo for a patient with gingivitis, or every 3-4mo for a patient with Periodontal Disease.
For more information on these classifications and more specific information on Periodontal Disease please visit www.perio.org
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