Your Teeth and Gum Cleaning – Why is it Important

Periodontal disease, often referred to as gum disease, is an oral gum infection that impacts the tissues and supporting bone structures of your teeth. As the infection advances, it can lead to damage in the teeth and the surrounding gum tissue, eventually resulting in tooth loss.

You might wonder, "But I visit the dentist every six months, and I've never had any issues!" It's true; gum disease can develop even if you're diligent about your regular check-ups. This underscores the importance of keeping your appointments for dental cleanings at Dr. Raed Abutteen Dental Center and not postponing essential care.

During your visits, the dental hygienist and dentist assess the health of your mouth and gums. X-rays provide a visual of your bone levels and the degree of support around your teeth, allowing for year-to-year comparisons to track progression. In conjunction with X-rays especially 3 dimensional x-rays (CBCT), a periodontal assessment (also known as probing your gums) assigns numerical measurements to what is observed on the X-rays. Our digital charting helps monitor your health/disease history.

Fortunately (and certainly unfortunately!), periodontal disease doesn't typically cause pain, but it can have broader health implications beyond your teeth. When you have periodontal disease, it harbors bacteria in your gums that don't require oxygen to survive. This is significant because bacteria capable of living without oxygen can travel through your bloodstream, and this bacterium has been found in individuals who have suffered from conditions such as, arthritis, heart attacks, and strokes. Untreated periodontal disease is also linked to difficulties in controlling diabetes and has correlations with low birth weight and pre-term birth in babies.

Clearly, this is a serious matter! So, how can you prevent it? To start, maintain your regular dental hygiene appointments. This allows your dental hygienist and dentist to continually assess your gum health during your dental cleanings at Dr. Raed Abutteen Dental Center. Additionally, proper tooth brushing and flossing techniques are essential, and you can ask your dental hygienist for guidance and even help plan a recall visit program, if needed.

Lastly, follow your dentist's and hygienist's recommendations for treating periodontal disease, which may include procedures like scaling and root planing, gingival flap procedures, or referral to a periodontist. You may also be advised to increase the frequency of your dental cleanings each year to effectively maintain your dental health.

Call us at +962791008087 and lets help you protect your overall health.