Periodontal Health

Everything can look pretty good on the surface, but just under the gums, plaque is starting to build up and harden into little “barnacles” that trap bacteria and start to infect your gums and jaw bone, and also cause bad breath.  Your toothbrush can’t go below the gums and floss can only reach down so far (1-2mm), but the calcified plaque/tartar can creep its way all the way down the roots of your teeth.  Tooth roots average about 10mm or 1cm and should be strongly attached in the jaw bone, but they won’t be if periodontal (gum) disease is allowed to take hold.

If you haven’t had xrays within the last year and you’ve never had your periodontal pockets measured by your former hygienists, you probably have only ever had a prophylaxis, or “preventive cleaning.” 

This can be unfortunate, because only approximately 15-25% of Americans actually have mouths healthy enough to qualify for this type of preventive care/ above the gum-line only “cleaning.”  Periodontal probings measure the depth of looseness, or lack of attachment, of gum tissue and bone around the roots of your teeth (see Periodontal Disease below).

The word prophylaxis means “preventive” and is the official term used to indicate a hygiene visit where your gum and bone health have been verified as truly healthy (1-3mm periodontal pocket depths, no infection, no puffy or red irritated areas on the gums, no bleeding or  fluid seepage upon probing or pressing on the gums, no plaque/tartar calcification on your teeth – above or below the gum line, no gum recession, no loss of jaw bone around and between the teeth, etc.). 

A prophylaxis hygiene visit with your general dentist is like a “well care” visit to your family physician.  It is designed to maintain good health by taking preventive measures rather than when you go to the doctor knowing you’re sick in an effort to get medicine or have procedures done to remove infection so that the body can repair and heal as much as possible to normal.

A healthy mouth indicates excellent oral home care – brushing, flossing and flushing the gums with pressurized water, like with a WaterPik® or ShowerBreeze®, which helps to flush out bacteria below the gum line while also helping to stimulate the gum tissue to keratinize thus making it tougher and more resilient to infection. 

So if you’re at your Smile Centre hygiene visit and hear your hygienist dictating your periodontal probing measurements into our voice-activated periodontal charting, pay attention to see if the numbers are 1-3mm with no gum recession, bleeding or mobility noted.  Those are some of the conditions your gums need to objectively meet to stay on preventive care “cleanings.”  Prophylaxis hygiene visits are recommended no less than once every 6 months.

If you suffer from gum disease, or would like to have your oral health evaluated, contact our Venice, Sarasota, and Bradenton dentist office today for a consultation.