Cleanings

In addition to nutrition, routine cleanings are a vital way to ensure you’re not at risk of periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is an infection of the teeth, gums, and the bone that surrounds the teeth. Most people who have periodontal disease aren’t even aware of it. It’s rarely painful, especially in the early stages.

The main cause of periodontal disease is the accumulation of plaque above and below the gumline. Plaque is the sticky film of food and bacteria that forms constantly on your teeth.  Though it is hard to see plaque, through our use of microscopes, we are able to see the “bugs” that invade our bodies through the gum pockets.

You must completely remove plaque each day or it will build up and mineralizes to become tartar, also known as calculus. It takes a dentist or dental hygienist to remove tartar.  In other words, there’s no way for you to remove it while in front of the mirror. A toothbrush or floss won’t budge it. If tartar isn’t removed, it migrates to the root surfaces and causes more damaging effects.

The Perfect Mouth: Part 1

As a visionary, I always like to look at ideal. 

You know what I mean… vision what’s perfect and use that as my north pole, my target.

So when it comes to the perfect smile, I look first at the health of the gums.

So what do perfect gums look like?

Of course, they should not look like gum disease.  But instead of listing what gum disease is or looks like, I’ll describe what the gums should be in a perfect world.

1.  The color of the gums should be light “salmon” pink. 
2.  The texture should be stippled or have little dimples on the surface.(not glossy)
3.  They should be held tightly against the bone like speedos on an olympic swimmer.
4.  The gums should be uniformly the same.  In other words, it should not appear that there are many areas of healthy looking gums and diseased gums.
5.  They should not bleed when they are probed at the dentist, when you floss, brush, or eat.
6.  The pocket of gums around each tooth should be 1-2 mm deep.  The larger the number, the deeper the pocket.
7.  A band of “good gums” should surround each tooth or dental implant 360 degrees. 
8.  Cosmetically, the you should only show 1-2 mm of gums when you smile fully.

I hope this give you a clear picture of what prefect gums should look like in health (and not during gum disease). 

If your gums are not ideal, then you may want to check with a dentist because underlying systemic problems are linked to the bacteria specifically found under the gumline.

Be sure to check back for part 2 where we evaluate the teeth.

If you are in San Diego or if you are looking for a San Diego Dentist, please check out our office as we provide thorough gum examinations.

888-825-5351

The Center For Natural Dentistry