Gum disease

me to Gum Disease

It is believed that most people will have at least one case of mild gum disease in their lifetime. Further, it's estimated that 50 to 90 per cent of the adult population has some degree of gum disease. It can cause swollen gums, ulcers and bleeding when brushing. For something that can be prevented with due care, it is shocking that so many people are unaware of the dangers of this condition, with evidence to suggest gum disease can be linked to blood clotting, heart disease and strokes.

This website seeks to provide useful information to help the reader learn more about gum disease, looking at some of the causes, symptoms and what can be done to treat the problem. The aim is to put you in the know so you can prevent gum disease in the first place.

It goes without saying that oral hygiene is a serious matter and we should all do our best to take care of our teeth and gums, through regular dental check-ups, as well as regularly brushing and flossing. Of course, we would like to make clear that this website is not a substitute for getting first-hand advice from your dental surgery. So, be sure to keep up the visits and if you experience the symptoms of gum disease seek immediate advice from your dentist.

Meanwhile, we hope you find our website helpful and informal. There are a range of informative articles concerning the subject of gum disease. Have a look for yourselves - and remember, take care of your oral hygiene!

Symptoms of gum disease

Let's first look at what a healthy set of gums should look like - pink and firm to keep teeth anchored in place. They should not bleed when you touch them or brush your teeth.

This might sound like common sense but it's important you take care of your oral hygiene, and if you experience any noticeable changes you should get in touch with your dental practice. Now, we will look at the in-depth symptoms a patient may experience.

What should I look out for?

The two most noticeable features of gum disease are:

• Swelling and redness of the gums.
• Gum which start to bleed after brushing or flossing.

If such early symptoms are recognised and you are able to visit your dentist, gum disease can be stopped before it has started to cause any real damage. By allowing gum disease to fester and develop, gum disease can cause a smile to deteriorate rapidly.

The more advanced stages of gum disease

Periodontitis is the term given to a more advanced stage of gum disease and is where the swelling and bleeding of the gums gets worse. There are some specific symptoms for periodontitis and these include:

• Bad breath. This may also include a foul taste in the affected person's mouth.
• Sensitive teeth, which react to hot and cold liquid or simply when touched. Teeth may also fall out during much more advanced stages of this condition.
• Pus seeping from the gums. Further, abscesses may also form with pus forming under the gums and teeth.
• Receding gums.

Another form of gum disease is known as Acute Necrotising Ulcerative Gingivitis, or ANUG for short. This is a rare condition, with more severe symptoms than other gum disease conditions.

Symptoms of ANUG include the following:

• Painful, bleeding gums, with ulcers.
• Severe bad breath, including a metallic taste in the person's mouth.
• Excessive levels of saliva in the mouth.
• A high fever, with the patient feeling unwell - they may have swollen lymph nodes on the neck, which are symptomatic of the body fighting an infection.

Causes of gum disease

It's possible to help yourself to fight of gum disease from occurring. We cannot stress the importance of taking care of your oral hygiene by brushing and flossing regularly, as well as having frequent check-ups with your dentist. Also, think about your diet as poor nutrition can wreak havoc.

Effectively, the main cause of gum disease is bacterial plaque. However, there are a number of other contributing factors to gum disease which we will now assess.

Smoking

As we are all aware, smoking is not good for our health, contributing to lung and heart disease. Did you know it's terrible for our oral hygiene? It's responsible for building up plaque on the teeth - which can lead to gum disease. It can also restrict the flow of blood to our gums. What's more, smoking can also cause your teeth to become stained. So, if you're worried about oral hygiene and are a smoker, you may want to consider the implications.

Stress

When you're stressed your body finds it harder to fight off infections and gum disease can be a by-product of this. Stress can also sometimes lead on to another contributory factor to gum disease - teeth clenching. Some people, when stressed, will clench their teeth - or they may simple be unaware they are doing it while sleeping at night. Again, the grinding can have severe implications on the state of your gums.

Diabetes

Diabetes causes altered levels of sugar in the blood and develops from either a deficiency in insulin production or the body's inability to use insulin correctly. People with diabetes can be at higher risk of developing infections, including gum disease.

Hormonal changes

When females are going through puberty, pregnancy or the menopause the hormonal changes can affect tissues in the body - including the gums. As such, this can make the gums more susceptible to bleeding. Care should be taking when brushing and flossing.

Genetics

According to research, up to 30 per cent of people may be susceptible to gum disease through their genetics. A genetic test can be used to help ascertain the chances of any future problems and allow the dentist to carefully monitor the situation.

Medication

Some medication can have an impact on our oral hygiene - for example, oral contraceptives, anti-depressant and particular heart medicines. These might lead to the decolourisation of gums or weaken tissues, making them more susceptible to gum disease. Be sure to take into account any possible side-effects.

Nutrition

We've saved perhaps the most obvious point for last. However, it pays to have a good diet and to ensure you aren't overloading your mouth with sugary and fizzy foods and drinks, which can lead to an influx of bacteria plaque. This, in turn, can lead to gum disease. Take care of your diet, take care of your teeth

Diagnosing gum disease

As has already been stated on this website, there can be no substitute for visiting a dentist or GP for a qualified opinion if you have any concerns about your oral health. However, there are some simple ways in which you can ascertain the likelihood that you have gum disease before visiting your dental surgery. Read on to learn more about diagnosing gum disease.

How do I know whether it is likely I have gum disease?

Firstly, let's refer back to some of the crucial symptoms of gum disease. These include swelling and redness of the gums, along with gum that start to bleed after brushing or flossing. Clearly these are the main symptoms to look out for and it is likely that you will be able to immediately spot any problems during your day-to-day brushing and flossing rituals.

If you believe you have these symptoms, or have any concerns, book an immediate appointment with your dentist. Now we will look at what steps the dentist is likely to take.

What steps will the dentist take to diagnose the problem?

Firstly, your dentist should be able to determine whether you have gum disease through the symptoms you're displaying. However, with the more advanced conditions of periodontitis Acute Necrotising Ulcerative Gingivitis (ANUG) there are some steps the dentist will undertake as part of the diagnosis.

Periodontitis necessitates a detailed dental examination and the mouth may be examined using a periodontal probe - this medical instrument is a thin silver stick that bends at one end. Here's how it works: the probe is placed beside the affected tooth and underneath the gum line. If teeth and gums are in a health state and attached accordingly, the probe will be unable to slip down too far below the gum line. If it does, then the patient may have periodontitis. If needed, an X-ray may be used to check the teeth and jaw bone to assess the extent of the problem.

With acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis, it is vital that the patient sees a dentist as soon as you can. If the problem is not detected early enough then it can cause distressing problems.

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Treatment of gum disease

Once the symptoms, cause and diagnosis of gum disease have been established the next stage is to get it treated. The dentist will naturally be keen to get the disease treated as soon as possible; nipping it in the bud early is the best course of action.

There are several ways of treating gum disease, which we will go on to explore. Read on for further information.

Good oral hygiene

It may sound obvious but taking care of your teeth and gums can prevent gum disease from occurring in the first place. Taking some simple steps can also go a long way to treating the problem and stopping it from re-occurring.

Here are a few handy tips to follow:

• Brush your teeth for up to three minutes, twice a day. Help prevent the build up of plaque and you'll go a long way to stopping it from damaging your teeth and gums. Using fluoride toothpaste is also highly recommended by dentists.
• Try and floss your teeth about three times a week as part of your oral health routine.
• Don't smoke. As we've already discussed on this website, smoking is not good for your oral hygiene.
• See your dentist regularly.

Other treatments your dentist may recommend

1) A mouthwash that contains chlorhexidine or hydrogen peroxide may be prescribed by your dentist. These are normally designed to be used two or three times a day although instructions do differ - so remember to read them!

2) Antibiotics - Your dentist could well prescribe antibiotics, which can help reduce inflammation of the gums.

3) Perhaps the most immediate need from a patient is for painkillers. After all, having gum disease can be an extreme cause of pain and discomfort so these may be prescribed, although the likes of paracetamol and ibuprofen are always regularly available from chemists, convenience stores and supermarkets.

Dental treatments

Now let's look at the specific treatments which may be carried out by your dentist:

• Scale and polish - This does what it says on the tin with the aim of cleaning your teeth of nasty gum disease-causing plaque and tartar. A special instrument will be used to scrape it all off.
• Root planning - The dentist may take the decision to clean bacteria from the root of the teeth. With this treatment, given the potential for pain, an anaesthetic is likely to be used.
• Surgery - This is usually a last resort but may be used in cases where the tooth needs to be removed, often in cases where the gum disease has not been treated early. Surgery is likely to be used for treating the more advanced condition of Acute Necrotising Ulcerative Gingivitis (ANUG).

Complications and health risks of gum disease

As you might already have gathered it's always better to see your dentist or GP as early as possible in order to stop any dental problems from escalating. So, if you have any concerns that you may have the symptoms of gum disease, go and see your dentist at the earliest opportunity.

We will now look at some of the complications and health risks which are associated with gum disease. Read on to find out more.

Periodontitis

If the patient doesn't have the gum disease-causing plaque or tartar removed then the condition is likely to get worse and can lead to periodontitis.

Further from this, the following complications are likely to arise - recurrent gum abscesses and damage to the tissue connecting the teeth to the socket, as well as the bone in the jaw connecting the tooth to the socket.

Beyond this, the implications of not getting gum disease treated are even more serious. Problems can include the following - receding gums, loose teeth and the loss of teeth.

Acute Necrotising Ulcerative Gingivitis

We're afraid that the problems of not getting gum disease treated do not stop there. Let's look at the complications of Acute Necrotising Ulcerative Gingivitis, known as ANUG.

This infection can spread to all areas of the gums, as well as the alveolar bone - which connects the sockets of the teeth.

Some of the associated problems include:

• Bad breath.
• Bleeding gums.
• Gums being completely destroyed.
• Large ulcers, which leave permanent holes in the gums.
• Loose and unstable teeth.

Gangrene

If ANUG is not treated it can lead to gangrene arising, which is a serious condition. It occurs when tissue starts to die and waste away.

When it arises from ANUG, it is referred to as noma and affects the lips and cheeks. Noma normally only affects people that have a weak immune system or who are malnourished.

Pregnancy and gum disease

It is now well known that pregnant women are more susceptible to the development of gum disease. This is due to hormonal changes during the time a mother carries their child, when levels of progesterone and oestrogen are increased. If a pregnant mother leaves the condition untreated it can have serious side-effects on the child. These include:

• Greater chance of stillbirth
• Premature birth, which can lead to further health conditions
• Bacteria associated with gum disease can also transfer to the foetus

A pregnant woman must be vigilant with their oral hygiene, and of any symptoms of gum disease, to ensure the health of their unborn child.

Preventing gum disease

There are, as most of you will be probably be aware, some simple common sense steps that can be taken to prevent gum disease from occurring. Good oral hygiene from the start will help no end, although there can be complications leading to gum disease which are beyond the patient’s control. Let’s have a look at some of the measures you can take to prevent gum disease.

Have a routine

This may seem obvious but it’s surprising just how many people don’t keep to a good oral hygiene-promoting routine. Here’s what is recommended to ward off gum disease.

1) Brush your teeth twice a day. Why? Well, brushing helps remove plaque from the surface. Failure to do so can lead to plaque hardening and, as already discussed on this website, can lead to gum disease. Simple but effective.

2) Floss. Don’t forget there’s only so much plaque you can get rid of by brushing so use dental floss to get between the gaps of your teeth. Again, this has the same effect as brushing in terms of getting rid of plaque - and helping ward off gum disease.

3) Get toothpaste with fluoride in it. Fluoride can help prevent decay and, in turn, prevent the onslaught of gum disease.

4) Mouthwash. An antimicrobial mouth rinse can help compliment your brushing and flossing routine. Once again, this is another effective means of helping rid plaque from your mouth.

5) Have regular check-ups with your dentist. We can’t stress how important it is to get expert help and advice. Your dentist will be able to see the warning signs or, if things have gone too far, be able to recommend the right treatment for you.

A quick re-cap

As you might have gathered, keeping a good oral hygiene in the first instance is the best way of preventing gum disease. Of course, sometimes there are factors which might be outside of your control - for example, during pregnancy - but we can all do our bit to make that difference and hopefully avoid gum disease from occurring.

Gum disease and other dental treatments

If you have gum disease it can, as you might expect, have a significant bearing on your teeth. A patient might experience pain or loose teeth as part of the symptoms. As a consequence of gum disease, it can have a major bearing on dental implants too. We will now explore the effects on dental treatments a patient may have.

Dental implants

If you are considering getting dental implants your dentist will first need to assess your oral health first. It is not recommended to put in dental implants until any existing gum disease has been treated.

A consequence of not having an existing gum disease treated is that it’s likely the disease will affect the dental implant and things could become rather serious. Inflammation and bone loss are some of the problems that might arise.

Once the dental implants are in place it’s part of the course of treatment for the dentist to regularly check your mouth to ensure it has accommodated the treatment. Any problems with gum disease can be identified from there on and consequently treated.

What happens if gum disease arises while the dental implants are in place?

If the dental implants are in place and gum disease arises, notably within the same area, then there would obviously be cause for the dentist to go ahead with the necessary treatment to tackle the problem.

The dentist may want to assess whether the dental implant has had any bearing on causing the gum disease to arise. If this was the case then the implants may need to be removed or have their position altered. It is also possible for the dentist to work around the dental implants too.

The key point to bear in mind is to seek immediate advice from your GP or dentist if you suspect you may have the symptoms of gum disease. They will be able to assess the relationship between the dental implants and disease and administer the treatment accordingly.

Braces

It is not a good idea to get braces if there are signs of gum disease. Anyhow, the dentist would not allow treatment to go ahead if there were any potential symptoms that could jeopardise the treatment. The reason for this is that such a device can make it more difficult for you to clean your teeth, specifically in the case of a metal brace. If this were the case then it would allow for the condition to worsen as it is harder to reach. If you have had gum disease in the past but the condition has cleared up then you should be able to get braces. Discuss options with your dentist to find out what the best course of action is

Gum Recession

What is it?

Gum recession is the process by which the gum line retracts leaving the root of the tooth it is intended to protect exposed. This can lead to a whole host of problems such as sensitivity or even unstable teeth depending on the severity of the problem. Sometimes the problem is caused by disease or infection in the mouth but this is not always the case. There can be many other reasons for gum recession such as over-enthusiastic brushing and it can even be hereditary. We will look in more detail at causes and symptoms later along with possible treatments for the problem.

Gum recession is most common in people over the age of forty. Nevertheless, it can begin much younger and it would be more accurate to say that gum recession is most commonly identified in people over the age of forty. The problem with gum recession is that it is a very difficult condition to spot. It develops slowly over time and for this reason people do not notice the gradual change in the appearance of their gum line. It may be that gum recession occurs at a much younger age but it is only when the problem has made a significant impact on the gum line that it starts to cause any reason for concern.

Symptoms

When gum recession is in the early stages it may be that you do not experience any symptoms because there has not been enough of the tooth root exposed to cause any problems. However, when recession becomes significant enough you may notice some of the following symptoms:

• Sensitivity " the root of the tooth is more sensitive than the visible part of the tooth and therefore you may experience sensitivity when eating certain foods.

• You may experience cavities below the gum line

• The space between your teeth may appear to grow. This is not the case but the loss of gum tissue between the teeth may give this impression.

• The appearance of your teeth may change, i.e. they may appear longer as the root of the tooth becomes visible

• You may be able to feel a ridge on the tooth near to the gum line

• There may be a colour difference where the newly exposed part of the tooth is whiter than the rest of it.

These are all common symptoms when gum recession is caused by factors that do not involve a disease or infection in the mouth. However, if disease is the cause then you may experience the following, much nastier symptoms:

• Inflamed and sometimes painful gums
• Bleeding when you brush or floss your teeth
• Severe bad breath
• Toothache
• Loose teeth

If you experience these symptoms then you should seek immediate advice from a dentist because it is most likely that there is a much bigger problem going on and it cannot be solved without professional attention.

Causes

So what about the reasons why you might be experiencing these problems? Gum recession can be the result of a number of things, some preventable as it may be down to your doing, and some you can do absolutely nothing about; sometimes it is a completely unavoidable genetic issue.

Here are some of the possible causes of gum recession:

Self-induced:

• Overaggressive brushing " if you brush your teeth in an aggressive manner or with a hard toothbrush then you could cause damage to the enamel around the gum line causing the gum tissue to recede
• Inadequate brushing and flossing " this will lead to a build up of bacteria that may cause infection that will eat away at the bone and surrounding gum tissue
• Grinding of the teeth
• Eating disorders such as bulimia where excessive vomiting leads to a high volume of bacteria in the mouth
• Smoking and chewing tobacco which can irritate the gum line

Hereditary:

• Abnormal tooth position, i.e. overcrowding or misalignments
• You may have simply inherited thin, fragile or insufficient gum tissue
• Sensitivity to certain chemicals in toothpastes, particularly Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

Either (causes that are themselves caused by many different factors, some hereditary, some not) :

• Orthodontic treatment " forced movement of teeth may cause retraction of gum tissue surrounding those teeth
• Periodontal gum disease or gingivitis

Treatment

Naturally, with so many different possibilities for the cause of your gum recession it is important to identify the cause in your case before you undergo treatment.

In cases where the cause is on your behalf then, as long as the damage is not advanced, addressing your behavior may be enough to solve the problem. If over aggressive brushing is the cause then speaking to your dentist about the correct technique for brushing and then acting accordingly may be helpful. If your dental hygiene routine is not sufficient and this is leading to plaque build up then taking more time to clean your teeth properly may solve the issue.

Sometimes minor dental procedures may be required to ease the problem causing the recession, such as: scaling and root planing when the problem is caused by excessive plaque build up; or possibly some orthodontic work if this is causing the gums to recede.

In the most severe cases of gum recession, where the receding gums are causing major problems such as tooth instability and even loss, or maybe the poor aesthetic quality is a problem, there is a surgical procedure that can correct gum recession. The procedure is called gum grafting and involves using tissue from other parts of your mouth such as the roof, or even donated tissue in some cases, and repositioning it in places where the recession has taken place. This procedure is carried out under local anesthetic and after surgery the gums will take around a month to heal. Once the gums are healed you will be required to go for a follow-up check and depending on the results, additional shaping may be required to make the gum grafts look as natural as possible. Sometimes, though, additional work is not needed.

The most important thing to remember however is that the sooner it is identified, the less damage the problem will cause and when the problem is identified in the early stages, it takes very little to correct. Therefore, regular check-ups at the dentist are essential if you want to keep your mouth looking and feeling healthy for a long time.

Nutrition, Lifestyle and Gum Disease

We might not pay much attention to the fact as we go about our daily business, but the little lifestyle choices we make often have a much bigger impact on severe dental problems than we might imagine. Factors such as poor diet, smoking, drinking and stress are all known to have a significant impact on the development of gum disease. We often hear or read about what these things can do for our heart or our weight but probably less often in relation to gum disease.

Here we will look at some of the lifestyle factors that could encourage gum disease and how a good oral hygiene routine will go a long way to rectify your little daily wrongs.

Nutrition

There is a direct link between your diet and gum disease. A poor diet promotes the perfect conditions for gum disease to take hold in three ways:

• Foods containing high sugar and starches promote the production of bacteria which can be a perfect foundation upon which gum disease can thrive
• A poor diet with low nutrient intake makes the immune system sluggish and less able to fight off infections such as gum disease when they attack
• Vitamins and minerals provide the body with the building blocks to build and renew bones, muscles, blood and tissue. Low vitamin and mineral intake means that the gum tissue and bones will not be as strong as they could be, therefore more susceptible to disease.

Your body needs proper levels of nutrients to be able to fight off any infections. A person with a good diet will be much better able to fight infection than someone whose diet is low in the essential nutrients and so poor diets increase the risk of gum disease. Put this together with the fact that a poor diet often includes a lot of sugary or starchy food which promotes infection-causing bacteria in the mouth and a person with a poor diet is the perfect stomping ground for gum disease to thrive.

By making an effort to incorporate the vital nutrients that your body needs you will be helping yourself to fight off attacking bacteria all over your body, including your mouth.

Here are just some of the foods that are essential for a health maintaining diet:

• High in vitamins such as vitamin C " fresh fruit and vegetables
• Vitamin C is essential for building new cells and therefore promotes healthy gum tissue
• High in fibre " cereals, broccoli, peas, pears and wholegrain bread
• Fibre increases the flow of saliva which cleans the mouth, not allowing for harmful bacteria to build up and cause problems
• High in minerals like magnesium and zinc " fish, poultry, lean meat
• These minerals promote healthy bone which includes the teeth
• Crunchy vegetables " celery, carrot, onion (eaten raw)
• Crunchy vegetables clean the teeth and massage the gums as you eat them providing a cleaning service at the same time as providing healthy nutrients.

It probably goes without saying that foods such as pastries, cakes, sweets, chocolate, sweetened fruit juices and fizzy drinks are the types of food that are not good for preventing gum disease. Foods with a high sugar and starch content linger for longer on the teeth. This provides a breeding ground for bacteria which thrive on the sugars found in food. If a poor diet is coupled with a poor oral hygiene routine then these bacteria will continue to thrive and the high levels of bacteria could eventually lead to gum disease.

Smoking

Astonishingly, smokers are as much as four times more likely than non-smokers to experience periodontal gum disease. The chemicals in tobacco smoke have a toxic effect on the gums which makes smokers more susceptible to the dangerous infection-causing bacteria. The two main effects of these toxins are plaque build-up and the restriction of blood flow to the gums; not coincidentally, two of the primary concerns in treating gum disease.

The build up of plaque on the teeth allows for bacteria to fester and if left untreated this can lead to periodontal gum disease. Smokers can avoid the build up of plaque by undertaking an extremely vigorous dental hygiene routine but this is no replacement for a smoke-free mouth.

The restriction of blood flow to the mouth is more a concern in treating existing periodontal disease in smokers. Smoking restricts the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream. In the same way that this lack of oxygen affects other parts of your body, it affects the healing process following periodontal treatment; slowing the healing time significantly if not causing the healing process to fail completely.

Stress

We accept that stress causes wrinkles, grey hairs and a dodgy ticker. Stress as a cause of periodontal gum disease is a little harder to comprehend. Nevertheless, the relationship between stress and gum disease has been researched endlessly and studies are conclusive that there is a positive relationship between gum disease and stress.

The exact relationship is not yet fully understood but there are a number of factors that could be held accountable for the effects of stress on periodontal gum disease:

• Stress makes fighting off infections more difficult for the body
• Stress encourages people to take up bad habits such as alcohol and tobacco abuse. The effects of these substances are discussed elsewhere in this article.
• Stress can cause people to take their oral hygiene routine less seriously resulting in plaque accumulation " a significant factor in the development of periodontal gum disease
• Cortisol " a hormone of which we release a higher amount into the bloodstream during periods of stress, is known to encourage a more destructive form of periodontal gum disease

During stressful periods in your life it is important to remember to take care of your dental health to avoid any unnecessary infections that will bring more stress and suffering. Avoid turning to activities such as drinking and smoking that will have a negative impact on your dental health as well as the rest of your body. Instead try to take the time to get involved in healthy sources of relief such as meditation, breathing exercises and adequate sleep.

Alcohol

There is also a proven link between alcohol consumption and the likelihood of developing periodontal gum disease. For people who regularly abuse alcohol there is an extremely high risk of developing periodontal gum disease because of the negative effects of alcohol on teeth and gum tissue, leaving the mouth in a poor state.

The increased exposure to the sugars and acids within an alcoholic drink contributes massively to plaque formation. Furthermore, alcohol abusers, just like sufferers of stress, are less likely to pay close attention to their dental hygiene; aggravating the plaque build-up further.

With alcohol, however, there is an added aggravating factor to the promotion of a site in which bacteria can thrive. Alcohol dehydrates the body; this dehydration affects saliva production in the mouth. With saliva production restricted, any bacteria are not washed away in the normal fashion. This means that plaque formation is speeded up and bacteria are allowed to fester and run rampant, increasing the risk of damage to the mouth.

The importance of oral hygiene

Whilst it would be near impossible to avoid every single little thing that might be bad for your teeth in your daily life, you can correct some of your wrongs with a detailed and attentive oral hygiene routine.

Making sure you spend quality time morning and night with your toothbrush will ensure plaque build-up is kept to a minimum. You should brush at least twice daily without fail; after breakfast and before bed. You should also floss once daily, preferably at night, to clear the little crannies between your teeth of harmful food particles that will linger and produce bacteria.

You can also help your mouth by drinking plenty of water during the day to keep your mouth moist and able to clear away food particles before they have the chance to damage your teeth. Chewing sugar free dental chewing gum after meals can also encourage the break down of food particles that would otherwise fester for the rest of the day.

There is no better prevention for any dental problem than a good dental hygiene routine and whilst a little naughty treat here and there may just be too hard to resist; be sure not to falter when it comes to brushing and flossing after that long hard day.\

Aerobic Oral Hygiene

Aerobic oral hygiene is the final step in the revolutionary aerobic treatment for periodontal gum disease. After receiving aerobic treatment like BOST for periodontal gum disease, patients are encouraged to use the specially designed aerobic oral hygiene kit to help with the healing process and sustain healthy gums once the healing process is complete. Using the kit as directed after treatment goes a long way in ensuring that your periodontal problems do not return.

Traditional oral hygiene methods such as brushing and flossing only clean the teeth and gums on the surface. The problem is that periodontal gum disease develops beneath the surface in the gums, and brushing and flossing is not sufficient to clear away the plaque and bacteria festering deep within. The aerobic oral hygiene kit enables you to do exactly this; clean underneath the gums where any potentially infecting bacteria may be loitering. Keeping this area bacteria-free will ensure that the infection does not return.

How do I use the aerobic oral hygiene kit?

Patients should continue to carry out their normal oral hygiene routine and incorporate the new system into it. The aerobic oral hygiene kit is not a substitute for brushing and flossing.

There are two instruments within the kit. The perio-aid, which looks a bit like a pencil and a collection of hygienic points called aeros. The aero fits on the last part of the pencil-like instrument.

Holding the instrument like you would a pencil you push the aero up between the tooth and the gum cleaning the area in the process. This keeps any potentially problematic bacteria that have crept into the gap at bay where traditional brushing methods do not.

You will be advised by your dentist on the specific guidelines for your use but generally it is utilised just the once or two times per day. This will be re-evaluated at your follow up checks.

Is it complicated to use?

Anyone would be forgiven for thinking that the process sounds a little scary. Pushing things up between your gums is not something you would expect your dentist to encourage you to do on a daily basis. However, the perio-aid is fairly simple once you get the hang of it. Granted it is more difficult to use than your average toothbrush and you have to be careful and precise when moving between teeth; but with practice comes perfection and you will soon master the skill. Do not give in at the first hurdle because you will get better as you practice more and more and it is essential that you use it if you want to keep your gums healthy.

When you receive the treatment kit from your dentist you will be shown how to use it so do not think you will have to go it alone. Furthermore, at your regular check-ups you can go over any problems you may be having and get the reassurance you might need that you are doing it properly.

How do I know I am doing it properly?

It is hard to tell that you are doing anything properly if you are unable to visibly see the results. The general sign of success is the squeaky clean sound against your tooth as you perform the movement. Nevertheless, there are some clear signs to watch out for that would tell you if there was a problem:

• Persistent bleeding; there should be no bleeding
• An unclean tip on removal from the gum; there should be no plaque
• A loose attachment; the attachment should remain firm

These are all clear indicators that there is a problem with your technique. If you experience any of these problems you should speak to your dentist immediately because not carrying out the cleaning to a sufficient level may cause problems to re-emerge and your treatment so far will have been a waste. Going over the process again may help you to understand what you might be doing wrong.

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