Blog

Hygiene Therapy For Patients Near Acton With Gum Disease

22-04-2014

Sometimes clichés and idioms are mocked, seeming like worn out phrases crumbling under the weight of dead truths. Putting the pompous diction aside, some old phrases have stuck with us for a reason, and one of those phrases is ‘prevention is better than cure’, something doubly emphasised when used in reference to gum disease…

Gum disease

Gum disease is surprisingly common. Thankfully, the early stages of it are easily reversible. Unfortunately, the signs of it can be quite subtle. The latter stages of gum disease are pretty hard to miss, but this is mostly because its effects can be so disastrous: Bleeding gums, a spreading of the teeth and bad breath are just a few examples. Eventually, if left untreated, gum disease can cause your teeth to fall out. Thankfully, our hygienists are great at spotting the signs of gum disease and are more than capable of treating them!

What is a dental hygienist?

A dental hygienist is like a dentist who specialises in preventative therapy; that is, they try to stop the problems before they occur. They also double up as fountains of dental knowledge; true prevention happens every day when you brush your teeth and a dental hygienist can make sure you are doing everything you can to prevent problems occurring.

How does gum disease occur?

Gum disease basically starts with large build ups of plaque irritating your gums. If you don’t treat it here, then the gum disease may develop, leading to red, irritated and swollen gums which may bleed when flossing. If you still don’t catch it here, then it leads on to the nasty stuff…

What can a hygienist do to stop this?

Well, to be frank, if plaque build-up causes gum disease, then, provided you catch it early, all you need to do is remove the plaque to remove the source of the problem: Simple. There are some areas that a standard toothbrush will not reach. Thankfully, hygienists are equipped the special equipment and knowledge required to perform ‘scaling’, a special form of deep clean which can remove the troubling plaque.

Contact us

If you want to double-check the condition of your gums, or simply want to double brush up on your brushing technique, than book an appointment with one of our hygienists at Sparkle Dental Boutique near Acton.