Customized Oral Hygiene and Gum Care
Keeping your teeth and gums healthy is a priority. As science and technology advance, more and more we see how having a healthy mouth doesn’t just benefit your smile, but your whole body. That’s why we recommend that our patients come into our Asheville dental office at least twice a year for a professional teeth cleaning.
During your appointment with your Asheville dentist, Dr. Saunders, we can review your at-home oral hygiene habits and techniques and offer advice based on what we find during your exam and cleaning. We also examine your mouth for dental decay and other problems that may be present so they can be taken care of before anything major happens. Routine dental appointments are the best way to avoid costly and time-consuming dental problems!
As we age, we become less prone to tooth decay and more prone to periodontal disease, which is another word for gum disease. That’s why we check for gum disease as part of every hygiene visit at our Asheville family dentist office.
Gum disease happens in stages and begins with gingivitis, which is a minor inflammation of the gums. However, gingivitis can quickly advance to periodontal disease, which can be categorized as moderate to severe. If you have moderate gum disease, we may be able to reverse the process with a deep cleaning, which includes cleaning your teeth and gums to remove any plaque, tartar, and bad bacteria that could be causing your gum disease.
Gum disease usually happens as the result of not taking care of your teeth, eating a diet high in sugar or processed foods (which feed bad bacteria), and using tobacco products such as smoking or chewing tobacco, both of which significantly increase your risk for oral cancer as well. With gum disease, bad bacteria are responsible for causing inflammation and infection in your mouth, which attack your gums and your tooth’s roots.
Healthy gums properly support your teeth and are necessary for your oral health. When you experience bleeding gums, bad breath, loose or sensitive teeth, receding gums, or inflamed or red gums, you could be experiencing the symptoms of periodontal disease.
Patients no longer have to lose teeth because of bleeding gums. We routinely check the pocket depths of our patients’ teeth to ensure that measures are taken before any significant problems arise. This is why regular checkups with your dentist in Asheville are so important.
Sometimes a deep cleaning is necessary to help inflamed gums heal and the pockets surrounding the teeth to shrink. If your gum disease isn’t advanced, we can help you reverse the process. Most gum problems can be treated in our Asheville dental office.
Importance of Regular Dental Checkups
However, it’s also important to remember the key role that you play in your own oral health. Although genes can determine certain factors of our bacteria, gum, and tooth structure, you are responsible for keeping your gums healthy, and you have the power to prevent periodontal disease from happening!
Help us help you by doing the following practices in between your regular checkups with us:
- Brushing properly. You don’t have to brush hard, just brush gently to remove plaque, food, and bacteria from your smile and your mouth. During your visit, we can help you adopt proper brushing habits for your unique smile!
- Flossing. Flossing is so important for your smile and helps you reach all those little places a toothbrush isn’t able to. Flossing helps to keep your teeth and gums healthy until your next teeth cleaning with us.
- Eating a balanced diet. A diet with plenty of healthy fats, low in sugar, and balanced with protein, vegetables, and fiber can help keep your smile healthy. Remember, soda and candy are enemies to your pearly whites! Enjoy in moderation and if you can’t brush afterwards, try rinsing your mouth with water so that the sugar doesn’t have time to turn your mouth acidic and breed bad bacteria.
- Avoiding tobacco. Tobacco products increase your risk for oral cancer, tooth decay, and gum disease. If you smoke, talk with us about quitting and what resources are available to you. Remember that chewing tobacco carries the same risk as smoking!
- Regular checkups. Visiting our office regularly for cleanings just twice a year can keep your smile in great shape!
You can prevent gingivitis and periodontal disease by having great oral hygiene habits. If you’re not sure if you’re brushing or flossing properly, ask our hygienist or Dr. Saunders! We’re always eager to impart advice about great oral health practices.
If you have any signs or symptoms of gum disease, schedule an appointment with us. We can help you prevent, reverse, and treat periodontal disease.
For fixing an appointment or for any emergency dental services in Asheville call us at 828-277-6060