Are you looking for a dentist in Loughton?

Dental conditions can vary in severity. Some conditions are preventable through fairly small lifestyle changes, while some of them are a natural result of aging, or a heritable disease. Many developed countries have seen a surge of tooth cavity cases. This has been linked to bacteria feeding on sugars stuck to teeth, and producing acids as a side product of their metabolism, which dissolves the mineral content of the tooth. One of the most important ways of preventing dental conditions is the maintenance of oral hygiene. Poor oral hygiene can lead to the build-up of these bacteria and the acids they produce, which leads to tooth decay that can potentially result in tooth cavities, if not treated in time. Our dentists at Forest Dental in Loughton offer several dental hygiene treatments to prevent gum disease.loughton-dentist

Gum health

The gums serve as a platform for the root of the teeth that holds them. The gums themselves are as important to be looked after as the teeth themselves. Gum disease can affect the whole surrounding area, and result in tooth loss. Observe the early symptoms of gum disease to take the measures necessary to successfully prevent further progression and complications. One of the earliest signs of gum disease is the redness and bleeding of your gums when brushing your teeth. The name of this condition is gingivitis, which refers to the inflammation of the tissue making up your gum. Inflammation is the response of your immune system to intruders, such as pathogenic microorganisms. By not allowing the overgrowth of the harmful bacteria in your mouth you can prevent and treat this condition.

What kind of treatments are available for gum health as preventative measures?

One of the treatments our dentist in Loughton offers is scaling, which involves the removal of any tartar, plaques or stains that are on your tooth near the gums. Another treatment available is called root planing. This is a slightly more invasive procedure, as it consists of the excision of necrotic substances from the tooth below the gum. The immune system responds to foreign materials in the body with inflammation. Inflammation is a condition where a tissue gets swollen, red and sometimes painful due to our natural defence mechanisms. This is due to the body attempting to get more blood to the point of infection to recruit more white blood cells which tackle intruders. Debris stuck under the teeth can trigger the immune system to treat it as an invader, resulting in inflammation. If this is not cleaned out, it can lead to the chronic inflammation of the gum. As some of the immune system’s white blood cells respond to invaders by inducing cell death in the affected cell, chronic inflammation of a tissue can result in permanent tissue damage, which leads to tooth loss. Damaged gums due to inflammation also increase the risk of a dental implant not being successfully introduced. Consult a dentist in Loughton to find out which treatment would be more ideal for you.