Posts tagged: Gum Disease

Sep 17 2010

Finding Your Berkeley Dentist

Finding a Berkeley Dentist to meet your needs is not as difficult as you may imagine. Many people avoid regular checkups with the dentist because of monetary concerns, fear of the dentist’s office or just plain ignorance to the importance that good dental hygiene and preventative care has on their overall health. Good dental care extends far beyond just brushing your teeth and flossing daily. While daily oral care is the starting point for a healthy mouth there are certain aspects of health that you cannot account for yourself.

Brushing and flossing on a daily, consistent basis is definitely important but even those that do these things two or three times a day can end up with cavities. Cavities are generally created by tooth decay caused by poor cleansing but there are also genetic factors and other unknown components that can lead to cavities. This is one reason why it is in your best interest to visit a Berkeley Dental office on a bi-annual basis. If cavities are detected early on the effort, time and money required to repair the damage is minimal, whereas, if the cavity is left on its own to grow it can end up causing extreme trauma to the tooth and gums.

Your dentist can also assist you in understanding the best ways in which to optimize your oral hygiene. Replacing your toothbrush every three-six months, flossing daily, scraping or brushing your tongue each time you brush your teeth and using an alcohol-free mouthwash are some of the simple things you can do to increase the health of your mouth and reduce the chance of cavities and bad breath. Still, only a dentist will be able to recognize the signs of wear and tear that can be exacted on the teeth by issues such as TMJ and bruxism among other things. Preventative care is the very best way to go about treating any dental issue.

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Sep 06 2010

Flap Surgery can fix Gum Disease

If you have been diagnosed with gum disease it is natural to feel a little hopeless. Gum disease is a serious health condition which causes a lot of unneeded pain and suffering. It can lead to bad breath, an unattractive smile and even infection. Fortunately for those who have gum disease your local and friendly Georgetown dental professional can help you along the road of recovery. Flap surgery is readily available and could be the answer you are looking for as you strive to regain your oral health and confidence.

Flap surgery is generally the treatment option for gum disease when antibiotics and root planing and scaling fails to produce the desired results. This treatment becomes absolutely necessary when gum disease, also known as periodontitis, has compromised the structural integrity of the bones which support your teeth.  This procedure involves cleaning the roots of the teeth and repairing any bone damage caused by gum disease.

In most cases a periodontist, a gum specialist, or an oral surgeon will perform the flap surgery. The doctor may have to pull a section of the gums back to clean and repair damage due to gum disease. He or she may smooth and reshape the teeth and bone to prevent future accumulations of plaque. In more serious cases, a bone graft or a synthetic bone implant may be necessary. Recovery time is relatively short, and requires only a few days at the most.

If you follow the directions of your oral surgeon or Georgetown dentist, you have a much greater chance of experiencing a successful flap surgery. It is important to maintain good oral hygiene after the surgery which includes daily brushing and flossing and scheduling frequent visits with your dentist. There is no reason to despair because of gum disease. Beat it back with flap surgery.

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Sep 05 2010

GOODBYE TOOTH DECAY

One problem that plagues this nation is tooth decay. Tooth decay is the process of the demineralization of the tooth, or where the hard parts of the tooth are rotted away to the soft part which can lead to sensitivity and cavities in the mouth.

Tooth decay is caused by bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria latch themselves onto the tooth, and create a film, or biofilm. This is the early stage of plaque. At this point, it can be scratched off the teeth by a fingernail, or if using proper dental hygiene, a toothbrush. After ten days of this initial layer of buildup happening, it is encrusted on, and more bacteria starts to attach itself to the first layer. The first layer becomes a colonization layer, and it is bonding with the outside of the tooth. At this point, it is important to see a dentist, so that the plaque can be removed. At Milpitas Dental, this can be done by scheduling a cleaning. If a cleaning isn’t scheduled, and proper dental hygiene doesn’t occur, other health problems in the mouth will happen.

To begin with, this leads to cavities. Cavities are holes that occur in the tooth where the hard layer has rotted away by plaque, exposing the soft inner layers, called dentin, to this bacterial infection. The simplest way of dealing with cavities, in their early stage, is to drill them out using a drill, or using air abrasion. This will carve out the rotted area of the tooth, leaving behind the healthy area. It will be filled in using composite resin, so that the tooth looks and functions normally. This is a simple process that can be done by a Milpitas family dentist. After the area of decay is gone, it will lead to a healthier mouth and a brighter smile.

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