Preventative Care and Gum Health

Preventative dentistry is the key to a life-long, healthy smile. Our friendly staff strive to create a relaxed and welcoming environment so you feel comfortable visiting us on a regular basis to ensure early detection for possible problems. This approach means you can be treated in a minimally invasive manner which saves you time and money in the long run. During a regular examination appointment, your dentist will thoroughly check all teeth for signs of decay, cracks or wear. They check the soft tissues of your mouth, lips and tongue for any abnormalities and also assess the health of your gums. This is followed by a scale and clean to prevent you from developing gum disease.

Gum disease develops quietly, not producing obvious symptoms until the disease is well advanced. It begins when plaque is left on your teeth after brushing which irritates your gums causing them to become slightly red and swollen. Your gums then start to draw away from your teeth creating pockets that trap more plaque and are very hard to clean. To top this off, when the minerals in your saliva come into contact with plaque, it turns it into a hard cement like substance called calculus which is impossible to clean off with your tooth brush at home. The disease progresses from there, slowly reducing the height of the gum and bone that supports your teeth until your teeth resemble a fence post in a too shallow hole, flapping in the breeze. With no obvious symptoms in the early stages, it is vital to incorporate regular check up and clean appointments with your dentist into your oral health regime to prevent this disease from progressing unchecked.

If your gums bleed when you brush them, your teeth look longer than normal or are loose in any way, please give us a call so we can assess the health of your gums.