The Importance of Teeth Cleaning: Understanding Gingivitis and Gum Health
No matter how healthy your teeth are, they rely on healthy gum tissue to stay in place. My name is Whitney, and I’m a dental hygienist. If you’re new here, welcome! If you’ve been here before, welcome back! Today, let’s talk about the importance of teeth cleaning and understanding gingivitis.
Your gum tissue, also called gingiva, has bone underneath it that anchors and supports the roots of your teeth. If your gums aren’t healthy, it’s likely the bone underneath won’t be healthy either. So, what’s the difference between gingivitis and other stages of gum disease? Gingivitis is the earliest stage, and it’s directly impacted by your teeth cleaning routine.
The term “gingivitis” combines “gingiva” (gums) and “itis” (inflammation), meaning “inflammation of the gums”—aka swollen gums. This condition often occurs when teeth aren’t cleaned properly, allowing dental plaque to build up. Plaque is a sticky white film that collects along the gumline, and it needs to be cleaned off daily through effective teeth cleaning routines. Your diet can also influence plaque levels; for example, inadequate water intake, high consumption of processed carbs, or lack of fresh fruits and vegetables can increase plaque buildup. Frequent snacking can also raise the levels of bacteria in your mouth.
Teeth cleaning is crucial at this stage because gingivitis can still be reversed with proper care. For example, say you have swollen gums due to plaque buildup, and you have this buildup professionally cleaned by your dentist. Now, with regular brushing and flossing, your gums can bounce back to a healthy state.
However, if gingivitis progresses into periodontitis, it becomes irreversible and may even require surgery. If there’s buildup below your gum line, a deep cleaning (scaling and root planing) will likely be needed, along with more frequent dental appointments throughout the year.
At the gingivitis stage, only the edges of your gums are affected, and everything underneath is still intact. But if it worsens, gum tissues start pulling away from the tooth, creating pockets where bone loss can occur. Advanced teeth cleaning techniques become essential to manage this progression.
So, how can you tell if you have gingivitis? Look for symptoms like bad breath, tender or sensitive gums, bleeding while brushing or flossing, gum recession, loose or shifting teeth, soreness when biting, and changes in tooth alignment.
Pro tip: If you smoke or use tobacco, you might not notice symptoms like bleeding or redness, even with gum disease, so regular dental exams are critical. To confirm if you have gum disease, schedule a dental appointment. Your dentist or hygienist will use a periodontal probe to measure the pockets under your gums. X-rays may also be taken to check for bone loss and tartar buildup below the gum line.
Remember, research links severe gum disease to health risks like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and more. However, keeping up with teeth cleaning and addressing gingivitis early on can positively impact your health.
So, visit your dentist regularly for teeth cleaning and exams. Many patients with gum disease have told me they hadn’t had proper exams until visiting our office. If they’d had regular gum exams, they might have prevented gingivitis from worsening. If it’s been a while since your last cleaning, now is the time to schedule it—don’t wait! Untreated gingivitis can lead to bone and gum deterioration, but a strong home care routine and professional cleanings can help keep your teeth and gums healthy.
