Our teeth need in special care. Every morning and evening we use toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwashes, rinses or dental floss. However, this is not sufficient.

Professional dental hygiene. It is called professional because dental hygiene procedures can not be carried out without special dental equipment and clinical skills. These procedures are performed by dental hygienists or dentists as well.

It is essential to visit your dentist twice a year even if you have no toothache. Because only dentists have professional diagnostic tools for early caries detection. Caries can be treated fast and painless if detected at its early stage. Untreated severe caries may cause pulpitis – a painful inflammation of the tooth pulp. Pulpitis is much more difficult to treat and is more expensive. It is important to remove tartar because tartar makes teeth even more susceptible to tooth decay. Tartar also causes gingivitis, inflammation of the gums.

If you have your tooth broken just below the gum margin or under it, you don’t have to immediately extract it since if tooth root is not affected or if it can be re-treated, there is a real opportunity to restore it not involving nearby teeth. Completely depulped teeth (teeth with dead nerves) as well as tooth roots are subject to restoration.

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How to floss >>

Dental treatment should never be put off since it’s much easier to prevent disease than to treat it. It’s absolutely clear that if you delay dental prophylaxis, you will sooner or later have to cure your teeth, and if you postpone tooth treatment, you will face tooth prosthesis issues. Waiting for tooth pain as a reason to visit the dentist is a not a good strategy for preventing cavities.

Toothbrushes and dental floss help remove tartar and dental deposits – a soft, almost invisible adjournment accumulating on teeth and containing harmful bacteria – from your teeth. The dental deposit is among main reasons for destruction of tooth tissues or as dentists call it caries.

How dental deposit causes caries?

Dental caries, or cavities, occur when microorganisms build up in deposits of dental plaque and ferment dietary sugars. The byproduct of this fermentation, lactic acid, lowers the pH at the junction of the plaque layer and tooth enamel, and eventually the enamel is eroded.

What is cavity?

There are three different areas where caries is likely to emerge. Caries of chewing surfaces emerges as dental deposit penetrates into cavities between tubers. This type of caries is more often to emerge in children since they usually miss these surfaces when brushing. Cavities also often begin in hard-to-clean areas between teeth as a result of accumulation of dental deposit. It is impossible to clean these areas with toothbrush only. Caries emerges in these areas if neither dental floss nor other devices are used for cleaning between teeth. Precervical caries usually begins as a result of gum thinning or bone stock deficiency, which in most cases, connected with periodontal gum diseases. Precervical caries is more often to appear in aged people when gums begin to sink. Periodontal diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis, are inflammatory diseases that affect the supporting structures that anchor the teeth in place (periodontium). Tooth roots which are not covered by enamel are most cavity-prone areas.

How to prevent cavities?

Fortunately, you can easily prevent caries through proper oral care. All must-do oral procedures are listed below:

You should thoroughly brush your teeth at least two times per day in the morning after your breakfast and in the evening before you go to bed, use toothbrush with soft bristles, choose toothpaste that contains fluoride since fluoride was proven to prevent cavities; follow a healthy diet and avoid frequent meals or sugar containing snacks and drinks; visit your dentist or hygienist on a regular basis at least every six months as regular visits to your dentist or hygienist help to discover decayed teeth in the early stage of tooth decay. This way you can have your teeth repaired with small fillings which costs way less than root canal treatments and crowns. Also your dentist and a dental hygienist can give you individual tips for improving your dental hygiene (if necessary) in order to prevent tooth decay in the future. Dentists recommend to replace your toothbrush when it begins to show wear, or every three months, whichever comes first since according to the results of multiple surveys, new toothbrushes remove more bacterial plaque than old ones do.

How often should I visit dentist?

You should plan your visits to your dentist twice a year. Dental checkups may vary, but your dentist will more likely examine general condition of your teeth. Your dentist or hygienist may also clean your teeth, a dental procedure which is called dental prophylaxis, from plague and debris (tartar) which may accumulate above and under gumline. They will also polish your teeth after plague and tartar removal. And don’t forget that your dentist or hygienist can give you individual tips for using toothbrush or dental floss.

Plague and debris may cause various inflammable periodontal (gum) diseases if not regularly cleaned. Regular brushing and flossing are extremely important for prevention of gum diseases.

How plague causes gum diseases?

Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal (gum) disease. Gingivitis is often caused by inadequate oral hygiene, which leads to plaque buildup. The bacteria in dental plaque irritate the gums and cause infection. When your body launches an immune response against these invaders, the gums become inflamed. People with gingivitis usually experience little or no discomfort. Therefore, it is important to recognize the symptoms, such as gums that are red, swollen or bleed easily within brushing or flossing. Gingivitis is reversible with professional treatment and good home oral care. However, if gingivitis is left untreated, it can advance to periodontitis.

Who is most at risk for periodontal diseases?

Periodontal diseases can occur over a wide range of ages and can be found in both adults and children. Advanced forms of periodontal diseases, however, are more rare in children than adults. As a matter of fact, three of four adults above 35 years of age suffer from periodontal disease or had it before. Other risk factors for periodontitis include smoking, stress, depression, alcohol consumption and some definite diseases. That’s why it appears to be extremely important to consult with your dentist or dental hygienist.

What should I do if I diagnosed with gingivitis?

Fortunately, a proper daily oral hygiene and regular dental visits all that is required to treat and prevent gingivitis. In the majority of cases, gingivitis can also be effectively treated and easily prevented by good daily dental hygiene which consists of two stages: brushing teeth with toothbrush with soft bristles and flossing. These measures will help remove plaque from tooth surface and gumline. Gingivitis, however, is reversible with professional dental treatment and good at home oral care. Gingivitis can be treated and reversed as a tooth-supporting bone suffers no irreversible changes.

What is periodontitis?

Periodontal diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis, are inflammatory diseases that affect the supporting structures that anchor the teeth in place (periodontium). Gingivitis and periodontitis are related conditions: if left untreated, gingivitis, or inflammation of the gingival tissue (gums), can progress to periodontitis, a more serious condition. Periodontitis is an irreversible condition which affects tooth-supporting bone that can lead to tooth loss. Only professional dental treatment and good at home oral care can help stop the progression of periodontitis. If you are diagnosed with periodontitis your dentist will choose the best way of treatment and prevention of the disease.

How to stop periodontitis progression?

The following easy-to-follow techniques may help you stop progression of periodontitis: thoroughly brush your teeth at least two times per day in the morning after your breakfast and in the evening before you go to bed, use toothbrush with soft bristles, choose toothpaste that contains fluoride since fluoride was proven to prevent cavities; properly brush your teeth, use short, gentle strokes, paying extra attention to the gumline, hard-to-reach back teeth and areas around fillings, crowns or other restoration; visit your dentist or hygienist on a regular basis at least every six months as regular visits to your dentist or hygienist help to discover decayed teeth in the early stage of tooth decay. Avoid behaviors that contribute to gum disease and tooth decay, especially tobacco use and smoking