Dental Hygiene FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Most asked questions we receive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most people don’t connect their mouths to the rest of their bodies. However, research studies have linked gum infection to the other diseases in the body. If your gums bleed, the infection can travel through the blood stream or airways thereby increasing your chances of heart disease, stroke, respiratory diseases and preterm or low birthweight babies. Gum infection can also make it difficult to control diabetes.

Gum disease begins with the formation of soft (plague) and hard (calculus/tarter) deposits on the surface of the teeth. Without proper oral care, these bacteria can cause inflammation of the gums (gingivitis). If this infection is left untreated for too long, it can penetrate the gum line and slowly destroy the bone and supporting tissues around the teeth, ultimately leading to tooth loss. Prevention is the key to maintaining oral health. With regular, proper home and professional oral care, gum disease can be controlled or even reversed.

The warning signs of gum disease include:
• Red, swollen or tender gums
• Bleeding while brushing or flossing
• Persistent bad breath
• Loose or separating teeth
• Most people are not aware of gum disease since it is completely asymptomatic and painless in the early stages.

If plaque and tartar are not removed, they work as a team and together contribute to destroy the gums and bone thus causing periodontal disease.

Our mouths contain both beneficial and harmful bacteria. When harmful bacteria become dominant and accumulate in dental plaque, they form a biofilm on the surface of the teeth. This biofilm irritates the gums and can lead to gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease.

Main causes of gum disease
• Poor oral hygiene – irregular or ineffective brushing and flossing
• Plaque and tartar buildup – bacteria trigger inflammation of the gums
• Smoking or vaping – reduces blood flow to the gums and slows healing
• Hormonal changes – pregnancy, menopause, and puberty can make gums more sensitive
• Medical conditions – diabetes, immune disorders, and some medications
• Dry mouth – reduced saliva allows bacteria to grow more easily
• Genetics – some people are more prone to gum disease
• Stress – can weaken the immune response
• Misaligned teeth or faulty dental work – create areas where plaque is harder to remove.

The number of treatments will vary depending on the extent of the gum disease and the amount of deposits. For clients who have regular teeth cleaning it is usually one appointment. For clients who has never had professional teeth cleaning or cleaned their teeth long time ago the treatment may take up to 4 appointments. Once you finished the active phase of periodontal treatment your dental hygienist will inform you about the frequency you need to come for teeth and gums maintenance and it will take just one appointment.

The main goal of treatment is to control the infection. After initial cleaning and your gums evaluation the frequency would be recommended based on your plague control, level of bleeding, pocket depth measurement, bone level. Usually periodontal patients should be seen every three months.
The length of the appointment may vary depending on the extent of periodontal condition, the amount of the deposits and the age. The appointment for the kids usually last 30 min, for youth and adult with good oral hygiene and no perio condition 45min and for the adults with periodontal disease 60 min. The time provided is average. It means if you need more time to do a quality work, I will spend as much time as you require.

Bill 171 passed in 2007 giving to the public direct access to dental hygiene services without having to see a dentist. Dental Hygienist has to be registered with College of Dental Hygienist of Ontario (www.cdho.org) and authorized by the CDHO to 'self initiate'. To search your Dental Hygienist please visit this directory https://publicregister.cdho.org/en-US

Have more questions?

Smart way to improve the health of your teeth is to go see a dental hygienist

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