The Deep Dentist Work

Two of the most frequently asked questions of dentists and of dental association websites are: how can I prevent tooth loss and how can I prevent gum disease? The first step is to improve upon one’s oral hygiene routine as quickly as possible, with the assistance of a dental team that you feel comfortable with visiting on a very regular basis. Plaque is constantly forming on our teeth along with bacteria and acids from the foods that we eat are constantly working on our teeth and gums, but not in a good way.

Everyday we struggle to keep our mouths as clean as possible twice a day. Why isn’t that enough? The assistance of a dentist’s education and unique tools help us reach the hidden spaces where the real problems are lurking. When we see the stains creeping from our gum line, blood on the dental floss, or find it increasingly difficult to chew on the left side of our months; we are actually the last ones to know that something has been brewing there for a while now. Therefore, it is important to possess a basic understanding of what is going on beneath our gums and inside of our teeth, so we can improve our care for them and keep them healthier longer.

Periodontal and endodontic specialties are two very important areas of dental treatment because they deal with the above mentioned gums and inner tooth construction; that is, the places in our mouths that cause the most inexplicable pain and loss. The physical tooth is much like any other structure of the human body, it is layered and complex. The exterior is meant to protect the interior. First, the enamel covers the dentin and the dentin rests over the pulp where the nerves, lymphatic tissue, and blood vessels circulate blood through the area. The actual root of the tooth is comprised of cementum and sits inside of the bone of the jaw which is filled with more blood vessels to feed the entire system.

Endodontic dentistry is the specialty area of the profession that deals predominately with the inside or pulp of the tooth. Gum disease can cause infected pulp within the tooth. Under these circumstances severe tooth decay due to cavities, for example, has burrowed to the inner tissue. There are also examples of trauma due to impact of any kind causing a tooth to crack. A cracked tooth may have exposed dentin or pulp. This is when tooth sensitivity and further complications of a deteriorating tooth infecting the pulp. As the condition progresses the pulp will become inflamed and cause excruciating pain. A root canal will be performed at this point to remove all infected tissue and tooth to be replaced by a dental implant.

Periodontal dentistry is the specialty area of the profession that deals the supporting tissue of all of the teeth: the gums and bone. The progression of infection, disease, and the decay of tissue is due to bacteria from insufficient plaque removal. The gums become inflamed due to the bacterial infection and therefore are susceptible to bleeding, draining, and receding. The bacteria releases chemicals that cause a separation of gum from its usual smooth position against each tooth from root to just below the full crown body. Periodontist are charged with removing the tartar and calculus from the tooth all the way down to the root in order to reduce any pockets in the gums. Pockets are formed when sticky plaque has hardened to no longer allow the gums to be positioned there. Once the tooth has been scaled to the best of the dentist’s abilities, the pocket size and or depth will have been greatly reduced and the pain, infection, and oral health threat as well.

The endodontic and periodontal specialists not only treat diagnosed infection and disease they also educate patients on their investigation of what caused their oral health derailment. They offer preventative tips on how to care for one’s teeth and gums in the future. We will always need to take care of our oral health, but hopefully the preventative visits sound a whole lot better than a root canal or tooth scaling below the gum line. What do you think?