If you’ve been brushing your teeth and found that you’re all of a sudden spitting blood after your brush it can be a little daunting. We’ve all seen the scary adverts with people having this happen and the next minute they’ve lost a tooth. Of course gum disease is very important and it’s really important that we guard against it as best we can but it is fixable and more than that it doesn’t have to end in you losing teeth. Here’s how your dentist in Sheffield can help with bleeding gums.
Why do gums bleed?
Gum’s starting to bleed is usually an early sign of gum disease. Gum disease happens when there has been a large build up of plaque and tartar around the base of the tooth and the gum line. Plaque and Tartar is essentially the hardening of left og food debris and germs. Unfortunately this substance begins to send out nasty germs to the gums, killing them off essential which is why in serious cases of gum disease patients gums begin to recess and leave behind pockets. The actual reason for the inflammation and bleeding around the gums is because the body is a clever thing and sends blood to the area to help fight off the bugs - unfortunately this usually isn’t enough on its own to fix the problem as the build up has already happened. That’s where your dentist in Sheffield comes in.
How your dentist in Sheffield helps with gum disease
When you come for your check up or maybe it’s a case of you've booked in special because you’ve noticed the bleeding your dentist in Sheffield will do a full examination of your teeth taking X-rays and scans to check the infection hasn’t spread into the actual tooth itself. If you case is in the early stage of gum disease which they very often are then they will refer you to a dental hygienist.
What is a hygienist?
A hygienist is a specialist when it comes to all things teeth cleaning - they are trained to work on making teeth and gums healthy again after they’ve come under attack from gum disease. They also work with patients moving forward to find ways in which to maintain and manage best practices surrounding their teeth and gums to prevent future infection.
What happens in a hygienist appointment?
Your hygienist will perform a scale and polish - where they will go round your mouth using special tools removing all plaque and tartar build up from the gum lines. Then they’ll give you teeth a polish with a special wax - we at Sandygate love this as it really gives the teeth back their natural shine without having a whitening treatment.
Your hygienist will ask you about your oral hygiene routine, including how often you brush and floss etc. This is to give them an idea about why it is you’ve had such a build up and what tools and techniques they can share with you to stop it happening in the future.