DISEASES OF THE GINGIVA
For a healthy mouth, the diagnosis and treatment of not only the diseases of teeth but those of the soft (gingiva) and hard tissues (bones) surrounding them are required as well.
Why do gums bleed?
Bleeding is a sign of a gingival disease. Spontaneous bleeding or bleeding during dental flossing or brushing indicate that gums are inflamed.
How does the inflamed gum appear?
Swollen, red, or irregular gums; dental calculi surrounding the teeth, foul odor in the mouth, loose teeth or teeth with elongated appearances are all the indicators of gingival diseases.
What are the causes of gingivitis?
First of all, the presence of bacterial plaques affects the gingival health. Other factors include smoking, hormonal changes, stress, genetic factors, drug use, systemic diseases such as diabetes, and inappropriate coatings and fillings.
How is it treated?
Dental cleaning and root surface smoothing (curettage) are the initial steps of the treatment. In advanced cases, advanced surgical interventions such as gingivoplasty, flap operations, and the extension of the coronal length are performed.
CLEANING OF DENTAL CALCULI
Is tooth cleaning a painful procedure?
During tooth cleaning, no pain is usually observed. Dental cleaning is one of the simplest and painless treatment procedures in dentistry. Usually, local anesthesia is not required. However, in individuals with low pain thresholds or in individuals with severe gingival recessions, a local anesthetic can be applied to remove the tenderness. So the patient will not feel any pain.
Do dental cleanings damage teeth?
No. Because in the dental cleaning process, not the dental tissue but the formations (plaques, dental calculi) that do not belong to the tooth surface are removed. In addition, hand tools or ultrasonic devices used in tooth cleaning do not cause scratches on the tooth surface.
Will bleeding emerge during dental cleaning?
A very little amount of bleeding occurs normally during the cleaning process of the teeth, however, the patients are usually unaware of it. The amount of bleeding is anticipated to be more in individuals with advanced gum diseases. However, no bleedings occur as much as they do during surgical procedures.
Can I avoid the dental cleaning?
Dental calculi are the main factor in all gingival diseases. Dental cleaning is a necessary treatment for the dental and gingival health. During the regular 6 monthly dentist visits, dental calculi formed in areas that we can not brush well are cleaned. There is no harm in this. If the dental calculi formation is not that frequent, their cleaning should be performed at intervals recommended by your dentist.
Which one should be performed first? Dental cleaning or filling?
Before any dental treatment with fillings, prostheses, implants, etc, it is necessary to clean the dental calculi and treat the gingival diseases first.
Will the dental calculi be formed again after dental cleaning?
If you think that dental calculi are formed sooner after the dental cleaning, you should keep an eye on your brushing style. It is in your hands to prevent the formation of dental calculi after dental cleansing. You will achieve the desired oral health by brushing your teeth and taking care of the dental interfaces as shown by your dentist.
What do I have to do if I experience dental calculi formation very frequently?
If dental cleanings are performed too often, it means that your oral hygiene is not good. Avoiding the dental hygiene practices with the saying that “my dentist will clean it anyhow”, will invite the formation of dental plaques again after each procedure. The important thing is not to clean your teeth, but to keep your teeth clean. Regular and accurate brushing prevents the formation of dental calculi. It is absolutely not recommended to apply dental cleaning at frequent intervals because of inaccurate teeth brushing.
Will there be gaps between my teeth after dental calculi cleaning?
Sometimes larger gap formations can be felt in the mouth following the dental calculi cleanings or some dental roots may be exposed causing tenderness. In such conditions, patients may tend to have a false belief thinking that cleaning may give harm. However, such cases occur because of the delays in treatment.
Please note that dental calculi cleaning is not a cosmetic procedure but a treatment. Not performing any dental calculi cleaning causes gingival diseases and eventually recession of the teeth, foul odor in the mouth, and loosening of the teeth spontaneously and their falling off in the long-term.