Periodontal Care
Portland, OR
When most people think about a healthy mouth, they tend to focus on the teeth. Taking care of your teeth is incredibly important, but they are not the only factor. The condition of your gums also plays a significant role in your oral health. At Sylvan Heights Dental, we can provide you with the periodontal care you need to keep your mouth healthy and your smile beautiful.
Regular Cleanings and Exams
The ADA recommends routine professional cleanings and exams twice a year. These exams are essential for protecting your oral health and providing treatment to prevent developing issues from getting worse. During your cleanings, we remove plaque, tartar, bacteria, and other debris from the surfaces of your teeth. Not only does this protect your teeth, but it also helps to protect your gums by preventing irritation. During your exams, we can look over your teeth and your gums, checking for signs of any oral health issues, including gum disease. By spotting these issues early, we can provide less invasive treatments to restore your oral health.
Scaling and Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is a common treatment for gum disease. It is a type of deep cleaning for your teeth. Scaling involves removing plaque, tartar, and bacteria from all surfaces of your teeth, with special attention to the gum line. Removing this debris helps to eliminate irritation to your gum tissue. Root planing involves smooth the root surfaces of your teeth, removing plaque, bacteria, and other toxins. Smoothing these surfaces makes it more difficult for new bacteria to accumulate, allowing your gums to reattach to your teeth and heal.
Periodontal Maintenance
After your scaling and root planing, a follow up allows us to check how you are healing. If you have not healed sufficiently, or your gums are continuing to worsen, you may be recommended for periodontal maintenance. This is a treatment plan that involves a series of regularly scheduled appointments to examine your gums and provide cleanings. Depending upon the condition of your gums, these appointments may be as often as every two months or as far apart as every six months. With periodontal maintenance, we can actively help you to restore the health of your mouth.
Perio Protect is an approach to gum disease treatment that combines dental cleanings with specialized trays that are worn at home to deliver medication below your gums. These trays are made from impressions of your mouth and resemble mouth guards in appearance. However, they have a sealing system that helps administer the medication below the gumline. It is a minimally invasive treatment that can help you to avoid the need for gum disease surgery.
The Benefits of Periodontal Care
There are many benefits associated with periodontal care.
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Thoroughly cleaning your teeth helps to eliminate gum irritation.
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We can help to slow and stop the progression of gum disease.
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After treatment, your gums can reattach to your teeth. With healthy gums, the tissue can provide your teeth with the protection and stability they need. |
Protecting Your Gums at Home
While we provide periodontal care for you here in our office, it is also important to take good care of your mouth at home. This helps to protect the health of your teeth, your gums, your mouth, and your whole body. Brush your teeth at least twice a day for two full minutes each time. In addition to brushing, you should also floss your teeth once a day. An antibacterial mouthwash can also help to eliminate lingering bacteria.
With proper periodontal care, you can maintain a healthy mouth and a beautiful smile. Periodontal care can also help to protect your overall health. For more information, and to schedule your appointment, call Sylvan Heights Dental today at (503) 297-1471.
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