Milford Dentists Stress the Importance of Cleaning Your Teeth

Milford Dentists’ Andrea Clarke says she cannot stress strongly enough the importance of teeth cleaning to keep gums healthy and smiles bright, and this article is the first of two on this important subject. 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.

If you don’t clean your teeth on a regular basis, plaque will form 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 http://www.milforddentists.co.nz .