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Dr. William A. Bellingham
Family Dentistry
Hours of Operation Monday 8:30am to 8:00pm |
Location Meadowvale
Professional Building |
Qualifications
Periodontal Disease
The Canadian Dental Association reports that more than half of all Canadians over 60 are completely toothless. Gum disease is responsible for 70% of all adult tooth loss. Most gum disease can be prevented with a conscientious program of both home and professional care
Dental Plaque: The unpleasant film you feel on your teeth in the morning is dental plaque. It is forming all day long, not only on your teeth, but betweenyour teeth and under your gums. This plaque is full of harmfull bacteria which can cause tooth decay, bad breath and gum disease.
Plaque leads to decay: The bacteria in plaque act on sugars in food to form acids which cause tooth decay. By removing the regularly and cutting down on sugar containing foods, you can reduce your susceptibility to cavaties.
Plaque causes gum disease: For most adults, gumm disease is more of a problem than decay. Bacteria, trapped in plaque between your teeth or below the gum line, can irritate your gums causing inflammation. Eventually gum disease can lead to tooth loss. Gum disease is responsible for 70 percent of all adult tooth loss.
Remove plaque with brushing and flossing: Regular brushing, twice a day, helps remove plaque from tooth surfaces: Flossing helps dislodge plaque from between the teeth and gums. When plaque is left on teeth more than 24 hours, it hardens into calculus or tartar. Tartar must be scraped away by your dentist or hygienist. It's much better to remove plaque daily, before it hardens into tartar. The problem is, some plaque is difficult to remove. Also, even after cleaning with a good brush and most toothpastes, plaque begins forming again almost immediatly.
Anti-plaque mouthrinses and toothpastes work on plaque between brushings: However, a combination of commercial toothpastes and mouthwash which contain anti-plaque ingredients continues to fight plaque more many hours between brushings.
Watch for signs of Periodontal Disease:
- Soft, swollen, puffy or red gums
- Gums that bleed when you brush or floss
- Losse or shifting teeth
- Persistent bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
You can avoid Periodontal Disease by visiting your dentist or dental hygenist twice a year, and by conscientiuosly removing plaque from your teeth and gums twice a day.
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