Regular Dental Care

Hammaste regulaarne hooldusGum disease treatment is essentially the removal of various depositions (plaque, tartar) on the teeth.

 

Tartar removal means that the depositions are removed from the teeth and gum pockets. Tartar usually exists on the tongue facing side of the lower incisors, but also on the cheek facing side of the upper molars and sometimes extensively on all teeth. Tartar removal is done with a special device that upon contact with the surface of the tooth ‘shakes’ loose the accumulated deposition. Next, the smaller depositions are removed with manual devices, and finally the surface of the tooth is polished with dental grinding stones and rubbers as well as prophylactic paste.

  

The germ layer that forms on the surface of the tooth causes inflammation of the gums, also known as gingivitis. The first symptoms of inflammation are bleeding of the gums when brushing teeth, as well as an unpleasant smell and taste in the mouth. Infected gum pockets are a good place for the germs to grow.

 

Periodontitis is the inflammation of the supporting tissues of the teeth, which is always preceded by gingivitis. Periodontitis causes irreversible loss of the connective tissues. It is characterized by bleeding gums persisting over many years. Periodontitis usually presents in adults and is generally of a chronic nature. In addition to bleeding gums and an unpleasant breath, periodontitis also causes inflammation of the gums, abscesses in the gum pockets, and looseness of the teeth. If periodontitis is left untreated, it starts to destroy the connective tissues of the teeth. The gums start to pull back and detach from the teeth, and deep gum pockets start to form which house bacteria that can eat away the jawbone. Cavity treatment can help slow down the progression of periodontitis. If a patient has developed periodontitis once, they will be at a risk of recurrence for their entire life.

 

Then again, modern dental care is moving more and more towards preventative measures, which is why gum treatment is so complex and focused on figuring out the underlying causes, promoting proper oral hygiene techniques, and developing personal oral hygiene programs as well as doing follow-ups. Maintaining good everyday oral hygiene is the basis for preventing and treating gum inflammation.