2016 Wellness Expo

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2016 Wellness Expo Lincoln Daily Tuesday, February 16, 2016 Page 17
Treatments vary depending on
the stage of gum disease present.
When caught in the early stages
a regular cleaning may be all that
is needed, followed by routine
six-month recalls.
A procedure called scaling and
root planing may be required if
the pockets are deeper and there
is bone loss. This is done by
doing a quadrant at a time and
the patient will be numb for the
procedure. The hygienist will
scale above and below the gum
line reaching into the pockets
removing the hard deposit.
Many times an antibacterial
medicine will be irrigated into
the pockets and in some severe
cases a new drug from the
arsenal against serious gum
disease called Periostat.
Periostat was approved by
the FDA in 1998 to be used
in combination with S/RP.
Advanced periodontal disease
that cannot be treated in the
dental office will be referred to a
Periodontist, who specializes in
treating periodontal disease.
All these treatments require
diligent home care and regular
follow up visits to monitor
the disease. Once you have
periodontal disease you cannot
get rid of it, but can stop the
progression of the disease.
Brushing and flossing below the
gum line, and a healthy diet are
crucial to maintain gum health.
Gum disease not only affects
adults, but can affect children
and teenagers also. Plaque
builds up on everyone therefore
making us all susceptible to this
disease.
Plaque not only causes gum
disease, but it can cause decay.
If left on the teeth it combines
with the sugars in your diet to
produce an acid which breaks
down the enamel.
Plaque along with the intake
of sugary drinks or foods can
cause many teeth to decay. Tooth
decay in children is one of the
most chronic health problems in
children.
Decay can cause severe pain,
infection and in some cases can
make the patient sick or even
cause death if an infection is
left untreated. Untreated decay
causes trouble with eating,
speaking, missed days at school
and makes it hard for children to
concentrate on school work.
Remember 2 minutes, 2X daily
and flossing 1X daily. Eating
healthy foods and drinks with
regular checkups to your dentist
can provide a lifetime of health.
Remember, don’t floss all your
teeth just the ones you want to
keep!! A Healthy Mouth = A
Healthy You!
foods
good
for your
teeth