Dental Health Matters No.5. Your gum health is so important

Look after your gum health and you will probably keep your teeth for life.

If your smile is a picture and your teeth are centre stage, then your gums are the frame for the picture.

Keeping your gums healthy provides immediate extra benefits, such as

• Fresh taste and Fresh breath.
• Having gums that look pink and firm and healthy
• Having gums that don't bleed when they are brushed
• Giving you confidence when you smile
• What about kissing? What about your partners gums ?

The long-term benefits of healthy gums are even more important

• You may well keep your teeth for life
• You will avoid years of halitosis and gum bleeding
• You will avoid having your teeth drift out of position
• You will avoid teeth which become loose or gappy
• Your teeth will remain firm and so if needed they can be crowned or support bridgework
• It may even reduce your chances of heart disease !

The dental team at St.Mary's House have always taken your gum health seriously. We screen every patient for gum disease and inform you if we find that you a have gum problem.

We measure the gum attachment to the teeth regularly. Gum pockets, are gaps which develop around the teeth between the gum and the tooth. Gum recession involves a change in the height of the gum attached to the tooth, Very often the gum is healthy pink and firm but has risen up the side of the tooth. The causes are complex and may involve aspects which are genetic, dietary, stress related, localised or generlised bite problems, hormonal changes and lifestyle in nature. These may all affect or be reflected by the state of health of your gums as may other more serious conditions such as Diabetes .

We check for early warning signs of gum problems and monitor changes. You will have an individual program of therapy and advice tailored to help improve your gum health or treat any gum disease we may find, even if it is only affecting one side of one tooth only.

Remember, gums which bleed when you brush are not healthy , so seek advice.

We use the Basic Periodontal Examination (BPE) method to quickly and regularly assess your gums and to guide us as to the most appropriate treatment or advice for you. This quickly scores each of 6 zones or groups of teeth. Here is how it works:

Score 0 = Healthy gums

Score 1= Some bleeding and treatment and adsvise is simple

Score 2 = As per Score 1 plus tartar or rough fillings to clean or smooth over

Score 3 = Early stages of gum disease which need two or more visits to begin treating and then requires regular reviews and possibly more therapy

Score 4 or * = Established or advanced gum disease requiring more prolonged and specfic detailaled treatment depending on the exact nature of the problem. Regular gum treatment and monitoring of progress is needed every 2 or 3 months. Very occasionally referral to a specialist is needed.

There is no pill or magic wand to "cure" gum problems but they can be contolled, improved and managed.

Dental Hygiene Products

Are you mystified when you go to the chemist or supermarket by the vast choice of dental hygiene products? I am not surprised. These days the choices are almost neverending and no two people need the same ones.

Our dental hygienist, Nicky Smith, will advise you personally on the vast array of products, and then review your progress and continue to monitor your gum health and fine tune the best methods for you.

As a team, Nicky and I will carry out almost all the treatment or therapy required from the simple to the complex. We will advise on diet or lifestyle changes which are important or beneficial too.

Smokers, please remember ,any gum problems you have will be made worse by smoking and will be much slower to improve.