How your dentist can help

Even the best home care regimen doesn't mean you get to skip the dental visits. Your dentist has a much better view of your mouth and better tools to clean it. Here are ways your dentist helps fight gum disease:

1.  Schedule cleanings every six months. Dental cleanings can remove plaque and tartar buildup in hard to reach areas at the back of your mouth, between molars, and around dental work like crowns. Dental cleaning removes more plaque than you can and polishing smoothes tooth surfaces, making it tougher for plaque to stick around.
   
   
2. Ask about a deep cleaning. Your dentist may recommend scaling and root planing to get gum disease under control. The process is sometimes called deep cleaning and may be recommended if you have not had a regular dental cleaning in several years. Scaling, or deep cleaning, of the tooth surfaces below the gum line is followed by planing, or smoothing any rough surfaces on the tooth root where bacteria may stick. Scaling and root planing may take multiple visits.
   
   
3. Talk to your dentist. Tell your dentist about other health conditions like pregnancy or medications and any time you experience dry mouth or bleeding gums. You may need more frequent cleanings. Your dentist also may be able to prescribe a special dental rinse to lessen the effects of bacteria and plaque in the mouth.
   
   

Your dental care routine may not be the most exciting part of your day, but it can be one of the most important for a healthy lifestyle. Dental issues can signal other health problems and should not be ignored. So, fight gingivitis before it leads to more serious dental or health problems.