Corrective dental procedures for treating gum disease in Bristol.

Although gum disease is something that will affect a number of us during our lifetime, often without us even being aware of it; it should, none the less, be taken seriously as it can have devastating consequences if it is not treated in its early stages.

Whilst gum disease can even be treated by a simple improvement to a patient’s oral health regime, including better brushing and flossing, if it is left to advance beyond this stage, then some dental treatment will be necessary. The reality is though that gum disease should not reach this stage if regular appointments at our Bristol dentist are maintained, allowing us to monitor your oral health.

Beyond Brushing

Although regular appointments will prevent serious cases of gum disease; at Beau Monde Dental Care we are aware that some people do find visiting the dentist quite traumatic and this often leads to missed appointments. It is when this occurs for a period of time that any gum disease is likely to advance to a stage where dental work needs to be done to prevent it’s further advance.

At our regular dental hygiene sessions and also where the first signs of gum disease have been spotted, we use a procedure commonly known as a ‘scale and polish’. This is not an invasive procedure although some patients do find it a little uncomfortable and, depending on the degree of work that needs to be done, a local anaesthetic may be used if required.

This procedure simply involves, as the name suggests, scraping off the hardened plaque and then polishing it to remove any remnants. This is a quick and effective method and, following the procedure, gum health can be usually be maintained through regular brushing and flossing as normal.

The Deep Clean Procedure

For those whose gum disease issues have become even more serious, a deep clean may be necessary. This is usually done when there is evidence of periodontitis, a form of gum disease which attacks not only the teeth and gums, but also the bone in the jaw that supports the teeth. Failing to treat this will likely lead to the loss of teeth.

This procedure is always done using a local anaesthetic as it does involve the scale and polish technique, albeit this time, not only above the gum line but deep below it too, right down to the root of the tooth.

Inevitably, after this procedure has been performed, you are likely to feel some soreness and a warm saline mouthwash may be used to aid the healing process.

Post Deep Clean

Once the deep cleaning procedure has been performed, your gums will start to return to their normal health and with them, your teeth. It is important to note though that this procedure should not be thought of as a ‘one off’ cure for gum disease but as a corrective one, and should signal the start of a good quality oral health care regime to keep your teeth in good shape.

A significant part of this new regime should be to ensure that you keep regular appointments with Beau Monde Dental Care at our Bristol based practice.

You can call us on 0117 330 3495 to arrange an appointment and start to journey back to full oral health.