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Milford Dentists Target Teeth Cleaning

Friday 20 February 2015, 2:48PM

By Beckie Wright

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AUCKLAND

Milford Dentists’ Andrea Clarke is keen to discuss in detail the importance of teeth cleaning to keep gums healthy and smiles bright. We have all been taught to clean our teeth twice daily and to floss after meals as well, but it is also extremely important to visit the Dental Hygienist on a regular basis who will provide everything from simple scales and polishes to complex periodontal disease treatments.

Milford Dentists’ Dental Hygienist, Karen Hobbs is trained to gently remove dental plaque and hardened scale or tartar from around the teeth. Karen also uses Perio-Air Flow technology to remove staining and bacterial biofilm from tooth surfaces. Karen is also their ‘go to’ person for those wanting their teeth whitening. She is also a dental therapist, providing general dental care to children up to their 18th birthday and also preventative treatments for adults. Karen is a Dental Benefits Practitioner as well. This means any child, if at secondary school, can be seen for most dental procedures for free up until their 18th birthday.

Gum disease is a bacterial infection of the gums and jaw bone and invariably begins with plaque. Plaque is continually forming on the teeth, creating a layer on the teeth called a biofilm. The longer this plaque biofilm is left, the more “glued” onto the teeth it becomes and the harder it becomes to remove. This is why keeping teeth clean with correct tooth brushing at least twice a day for two minutes, flossing daily and the use of interdental brushes is critical to maintaining a healthy mouth.

Gum disease can usually be prevented by good and careful teeth cleaning and regular cleanings or scale and polishes with your dentist or hygienist. Gum disease is a threat to oral health, and there is growing evidence that this bacterial infection is potentially a cause of or exacerbates cardiovascular disease and other systemic problems distant to the mouth, caused by these infectious bacteria getting into the blood stream.

The most obvious signs of gum disease are gums that bleed easily when you brush your teeth, gums that are red, inflamed or tender, persistent bad breath, constant bad taste in the mouth, receding gums that make teeth look longer, loose teeth and a change in your bite or teeth that don’t fit together well. The good news is that, if the gum disease is detected in its early stage, it can be treated and reversed so please go to the Milford Dentists’ website for further information at www.milforddentists.co.nz .