Oral Hygiene
What is Good Oral Hygiene? Good oral hygiene results in a mouth that looks and smells healthy. This means: Your teeth are clean and free of debris, gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when you brush or floss, Bad breath is not a constant problem.If your gums hurt or bleed while brushing or flossing, or you are experiencing persistent bad breath, we can help you improve your oral health and overall health.
Several theories exist to explain the link between periodontal disease and heart disease. One theory is that oral bacteria can affect the heart when they enter the blood stream, attaching to fatty plaques in the coronary arteries (heart blood vessels) and contributing to clot formation. Coronary artery disease is characterized by a thickening of the walls of the coronary arteries due to the buildup of fatty proteins. Blood clots can obstruct normal blood flow, restricting the amount of nutrients and oxygen required for the heart to function properly. This may lead to heart attacks. Another possibility is that the inflammation caused by periodontal disease increases plaque build up, which may contribute to swelling of the arteries. Researchers have found that people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without periodontal disease. Periodontal disease can also exacerbate existing heart conditions. Patients at risk for infective endocarditis may require antibiotics prior to dental procedures. Your dentist and cardiologist will be able to determine if your heart condition requires use of antibiotics prior to dental procedures. Additional studies have pointed to a relationship between periodontal disease and stroke. In one study that looked at the causal relationship of oral infection as a risk factor for stroke, people diagnosed with acute cerebrovascular ischemia were found more likely to have an oral infection when compared to those in the control group.
Periodontal Disease
Many times, when periodontal disease is diagnosed, it can be effectively treated with non-surgical therapy. Treatment usually consists of placing a small ultrasonic tip between the tooth and gum to remove plaque and tartar deposits below the gum line that cause the disease. Four to six weeks later, when treatment is complete, periodontal pockets are often eliminated due to gum shrinkage. With small pockets, the patient can himself/herself, properly maintain them with proper brushing and flossing. This non-surgical therapy is highly effective and even in the most severe cases of periodontal disease, non-surgical therapy often precedes surgery so that the overall tissue quality prior to surgery will limit the amount of surgery that may need to be done. However, should non-surgical therapy not result in the desired result, we will assess you further for surgical intervention and/or referral to a periodontist.
Bone Grafting
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that replaces missing bone in order to repair bone fractures that are extremely complex, pose a significant health risk to the patient, or fail to heal properly. Bone generally has the ability to regenerate completely but requires a very small fracture space or some sort of scaffold to do so. Most bone grafts are expected to be reabsorbed and replaced as the natural bone heals over a few months’ time.
Soft Tissue Grafting
Dental soft tissue grafts are done to help repair the damages of gum recession. A dental surgeon will graft soft tissue from a donor site within the mouth and use it to cover exposed roots. This can help to lessen tooth sensitivity and also improve the look of your smile.
Sealants
Highly effective in preventing decay on the biting surfaces of your chewing teeth, sealants are a simple procedure in which a tooth-colored acrylic "coating" is painted onto the surface of the tooth. This effectively "seals" the deep grooves acting as a barrier, protecting enamel from plaque and acids. Sealants protect the depressions and grooves of your teeth from food particles and plaque that brushing and flossing can't reach. Easy to apply, sealants take only a few minutes to seal each tooth. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and can last several years.
New Patients
Please alert the office if you have a medical condition that may be of concern prior to surgery (i.e. diabetes, high blood pressure, artificial heart valves and joints, rheumatic fever, etc.) or if you are on any medication (i.e. heart medications, aspirin, anticoagulant therapy, etc.) If your previous dentist has taken current x-rays, you may request that they forward them to our office. If there is not enough time, you may either pick them up and bring them with you, or have any digital x-rays emailed directly to us. Should additional radiographs be necessary, they can be taken at our office at the time of your appointment.
