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What You Must Know About Periodontal Screening – Dental House 101
Sep 12, 2019
Gums are an integral part of your mouth that protect your teeth and the bones around it. When gums become swollen and tender, along with some bleeding, your body is trying to tell you that your immune system has been triggered.
This happens when the bad bacteria in your mouth overrule the good bacteria, disrupting the balance of the germs, which is critical to your oral health.
What is periodontal screening?
Once a year, your dentist will conduct a gum evaluation called periodontal screening. This procedure allows them to assess the health of your gums and the bones around it. Some of the signs of unhealthy gums are receding gums, inflammation, and bleeding. When your gums are pink and firm, that indicated that they are healthy.
The periodontal screening will also check the pockets between your gums and teeth. When bacteria accumulates in these pockets, it triggers the immune system, which sends more white blood cells to kill bacteria. However, the WBC can also destroy gum tissue, causing the pockets to become deeper. When left untreated, the pockets will continue to deepen because of bacteria, leading to bone loss. When this happens, your teeth become loose and cannot be saved after some point.
Early detection of gum disease
Gum disease is a silent disease; it usually goes unnoticed until the damage has become severe. If you are not visiting your dentist regularly, it is unlikely that you will realize the presence of gum disease in your mouth. It is one of the main reasons why many adults lose their teeth. To avoid this, early detection is important, and it is possible with annual periodontal screening. It can help you detect and prevent chronic inflammatory gum diseases, such as periodontitis and gingivitis.
Keep your teeth healthy with proper oral hygiene
One of the best ways to avoid gums disease is to practice good oral hygiene, and that begins at home. Brushing must be done at least two times a day and flossing before bedtime. You must also avoid sugary and acidic foods and drinks, and reduce your meal frequency to three meals a day. Your saliva needs time to neutralize acids and repair their damage on the teeth, and snacking will prevent that.
If you have diabetes and heart disease, always consult your doctor to keep the diseases under control. Moreover, if you are smoking cigarettes, it would be best if you quit as soon as possible, as smokers have high risks of developing periodontitis.
Bottom line
Periodontal screening is a necessary procedure that you must not neglect. It will help prevent gum diseases that can cause irreversible damages, as well as to detect signs of severe gum problems. This screening will also allow your dentist to prescribe you with the proper treatment. Early detection can save you from undergoing more invasive treatments, such as surgery.
Poor oral health can have detrimental effects on your overall health, so you must take care of it.
At DAAS Dentistry, we provide dental services for everyone. We have caring and experienced professional staff who are highly trained to ensure that you have a pleasant visit. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help.
Dr. Ehab Daas
Meet your doctor
Dr. Ehab is a passionate dentist with 15 years of dental experience. He received his D.D.S in 1997, and has practiced dentistry for 6 years since then. Immediately after that, Dr. Da'as moved to Paris to get his Orthodontics and Prosthodontic diploma's in which he specialized in fixed bridges and crowns. He graduated from France with remarkable achievements in 2005, and went on to work for 9 years, focusing on difficult orthodontics cases and satisfying his ortho patients. Dr. Ehab moved to Canada in 2014 to continue his career, where he is proud and extremely honoured to provide his patients with the highest quality service.
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