Your gums are the gateway to your overall health. Numerous studies have shown a correlation to bacteria in the mouth, heart disease, and diabetes. These bacteria can enter the bloodstream through the gums from bleeding and periodontal disease. These bacteria can adhere to the heart valves and other organs. At Shadow Rock Dentistry, we care not just about your teeth, we care about you and your overall health. We are passionate in minimizing the effects of your oral bacteria and we will keep you informed on the progress of your gum health.
At your first new patient comprehensive exam, we will examine your teeth and gums. We measure your gum and bone levels and combined with the x-rays, we determine which type of cleaning best suites your needs for healthy gums. Stage 1 would be gingivitis. This is where the bacteria has caused inflammation of the gums and the gums can appear puffy , red and bleed upon pressing. The gum pocket measurement is slightly increased due to puffy gums. A thorough cleaning and home care instructions will be given. We recommend following up with your 6 month cleaning and we will re-assess the gingivitis.
If the gingivitis progresses, then it may turn into the 2nd stage which is Periodontal Disease, this is when there is slight to moderate bone loss around the teeth. In Periodontal Disease there may be a malodor and there will be hardened plaque deposits under the gum. The deposits of plaque will need to be removed by scaling them off and we will need to numb the area to make it comfortable. We typically do ½ the mouth at a visit in order to evaluate the progress of homecare and to make the visit more comfortable. In Periodontal disease, we will need to clean the teeth and gums more frequently to minimize bone loss and that can be 3-4 times a year depending on the severity of the disease.
