Hygienist Services

At Cherry Tree dental practice we place emphasis on the prevention of gum diseases because the long term success of other dental treatments depend on sound healthy gums.

Like most diseases, gum problems can be prevented by observing good dental hygiene. This includes daily brushing, interdental cleaning, and routine dental and hygienist visits.

If your gum disease is severe or advanced, you will be referred to a periodontal specialist who
will treat your condition and monitor you for progress.

Bleeding Gums & bad breath might be the first signs that something is amiss. The most common cause of bleeding gums is plaque. Plaque is that sticky invincible film that builds upon the teeth around the gum line. It is made up of numerous germs and food material that cause inflammation and gum bleeding.

If unremoved, plaque will gradually turn into hard, unsightly deposits called calculus similar to limescale. Once formed, calculus cannot be removed by brushing at home and unremoved calculus encourages even more plaque to form leading to a vicious cycle in which plaque & calculus keep building up above and below the gum line.

Left untreated, a mild reversible form of gum disease called gingivitis can result initially and, if this progresses, it can lead to periodontitis, which irreversibly destroys both gum and bone tissue and may lead to loss of teeth. In periodontitis, the gum comes away from the tooth as the calculus and plaque spreads below the gum line to create deep pockets. These pockets need to be treated in order to stabilise the disease process.

Other factors that contribute to gum diseases are:

• Improper and inconsistent teeth brushing and Flossing
• Crowded teeth that create hard-to-clean areas
• Smoking
• Improper diet
• Medical conditions such as diabetes
• Certain types of medications

Unlike some dental problems, gum disease tends to develop slowly and with minimal pain, so that you don’t notice anything amiss until it has reached a critical stage and tooth loss is a real risk.