Dental Hygiene Services
The mouth is widely considered to be a portal of entry for foreign organisms such as disease causing bacteria, viruses and fungi. Modern medicine has proven that the mouth is the most contaminated part of the body, harbouring over 600 different types of bacteria.
Our practice gives a great deal of focus on oral hygiene, focusing on prevention and maintenance of our teeth and gums. The care we provide comes with considerable experience and proven techniques: We strive to keep your smile healthy and happy which contributes to your general health and well being.
MANAGEMENT OF TOOTH DECAY AND WEAR
Destruction of a tooth can happen through a few different ways, although primarily this is from bacteria burrowing in, causing holes on our teeth (tooth decay). In addition, there is also wearing down of teeth caused by the following:
- Grinding teeth against teeth, both in normal chewing and night time teeth grinding while asleep.
- Abrasion from vigorous tooth brushing and harsh toothpastes.
- Acid erosion from acids in food and drinks such as wine, fruit, and fruit juices as well as sports drinks.
These are the usual causes of damage to our teeth and its is important to have a dental team that has the knowledge and experience to provide early detection, effective treatment and most importantly adequate prevention of decay and wear.
MANAGEMENT OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE
Gum disease is the most common disease in humans, affecting about 97% of people at some point in their lives, with the level of disease varying from person to person. Healthy gums and supporting bone are the foundations that support our teeth, so it is just as important to maintain these parts of our mouth and jaws.
With severe gum disease, bacteria are the major cause of bone destruction which eventually results in teeth falling out. At our practice, we believe that patients should be informed of their gum and bone health status so that they can get the appropriate treatment if it is needed. This is why a full gum and bone assessment is a crucial part of examining our patients state of dental health.
We strongly support our patients in therapeutic treatments such as non surgical gum therapy. This means cleaning the teeth above and below the gums. In addition to this, prevention of further gum disease is highlighted and we encourage our patients to take charge of their dental health by providing home care instructions and techniques.
Recent research has shown that gum disease is now very much linked with increase risk of multiple diseases and conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancers and Child bearing complications. For this reason, it is critical that gum and bone health is made a priority for everyone.
DIETARY ADVICE AND SALIVA TESTING
Two of the main factors that can strongly influence the health of our teeth and gums are our diet and the saliva present in our mouths.
Dietplays a significant role in the overall state of health and disease in our body, which includes our teeth and gums. Different food and drinks, as well as medications, can directly and indirectly, affect the structures of the mouth. Factors that influence this relationship includes: What we eat. the time of day we eat it. How we eat certain food and drinks, as well as the frequency of consumption and the specific components of these food and drinks.
Saliva’s vital role involves the functions of lubrication of the mouth, buffering against acids and transporting minerals to our teeth and gums. As such, it is an important part of protecting our teeth against dental disease. A dental hygienist is trained to counsel patients about teeth and gum disease, including their level of risk. This includes the use of saliva test, which helps to provide us with information to give our patients the appropriate guidance for the care and maintenance of their teeth and gums, now and into the future.