It is important you visit our hygienist Richmond on a regular basis, so your teeth remain clean and strong and your gums are free of disease. Gum disease is a major cause of tooth loss, therefore it is very important that you have robust gums for good dental health and well-being. Tooth loss needs to be avoided at all costs. So maintaining good dental hygiene at home, including brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing at least once, using a suitable mouthwash and maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle, is very important. You also need to visit our dentist at least once every six months and our hygienist Richmond, either once every six months or more often if advised to do so.
If you have a neatly aligned smile and enjoy healthy teeth and gums, then visiting our hygienist Richmond once every six months should be sufficient. If you suffer from dental health complications, or if you have had tooth decay or gum disease in the past, then you need to visit our hygienist more regularly.
Smoking and gum disease
If you are a smoker then it is also recommended that you visit our hygienist more regularly. Smoking has a huge negative impact on your dental health and well-being. Smokers are twice as likely to develop gum disease than those who do not smoke. Smoking weakens your immune system which makes it harder to fight off a gum infection. Once you have gum disease, smoking also makes it harder for your gums to heal because of reduced oxygen in the bloodstream. To avoid such complications it is important that you find out about smoking cessation. Smoking not only damages your teeth and gums. It also causes a range of health complications such as cardiovascular disease.
How do we look after your gums?
Each time you visit our hygienist, they will carry out a thorough examination of your teeth and gums, looking for any signs of early gum disease. If you have early gum disease, then this can be treated by carrying out a scale and polish at the dental practice and maintaining excellent dental hygiene at home. This means brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing at least once, using an antiseptic mouthwash, or as prescribed by our hygienist. You should try to avoid sugary treats and fizzy drinks, as well as smoking or excessive drinking. In this way, early signs of gum disease can be reversed. Later stages of gum disease require more intensive cleaning of the teeth and gums, including the roots of the teeth to remove plaque and tartar to allow the gums to heal. You may require a course of antibiotics to help treat any infection. You may even need gum surgery if there is irreversible damage to your gum.
By visiting our dental practice and our hygienist regularly you can prevent tooth loss. You will be recommended to visit our dentist and hygienist approximately once every four months so that we can make sure that your teeth and gums remain healthy and that they do not become affected once again. Some patients are more prone to developing gum disease than others, and our hygienist will advise how often you need to visit accordingly.
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