Dentist NYC -What is Periodontal Disease

The following is a list and description of terms that one may hear when discussing periodontal disease.  In no particular order, it is important to understand the following terminology:

 

Tartar – Tartar is found between the teeth, on the teeth, and sometimes under the gums.  It consists of food particles that have hardened over time and become adhered to the surface of the teeth.  It also contains bacteria that can cause inflammation of the gums.  Unfortunately, tartar cannot be removed with a toothbrush nor floss alone.  Once the food particles have hardened, it requires a professional dental cleaning to remove them.  Left alone and untreated, tartar and bacteria can lead to extensive periodontal disease.

 

Calculus - Calculus is another name for Tartar.

 

Plaque – Plaque is found between the teeth, on the teeth, and sometimes under the gums as well.  It consists of food particles and bacteria.  Left alone, plaque will eventually harden into tartar.  Plaque can be removed by flossing and brushing regularly.  However, it often accumulates in areas that are hard to get to with floss or a toothbrush.  Plaque that is left after flossing and brushing will be removed during your professional dental cleanings.  Over time, accumulation of plaque can lead to tooth decay, gum inflammation and periodontal disease.

 

Gingivitis – Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease.  It is another term for inflammation of the gums.  The gums can get inflamed due to the accumulation of bacteria, plaque and tartar.  With gingivitis, one may notice bleeding of the gums while brushing and flossing.  Under normal circumstances, healthy gums do not bleed when flossing and brushing.  Bleeding gums is a common symptom seen at the start of periodontal disease, or gingivitis.  When treated during this early stage of periodontal disease, a professional dental cleaning can stop the progression of periodontal disease and be reversed.

 

Periodontitis – Periodontitis is another name for infection of the gums and the jaw bone.  Periodontitis occurs when bacteria penetrate deep under the gums and start to erode the bone where the teeth attach to it.  It is considered normal to have a gum pocket depth of 3 mm or less.  When there exists gum pockets that are deeper than 3 mm, it is considered periodontal disease.  In the early stages, this may be treated with a deep cleaning.  Periodontitis is the leading cause of tooth loss.  A deep cleaning may be able to prevent erosion of bone and eventual loss of teeth.  In most cases, periodontitis may be pain-free and not noticed.  Therefore, it is very important to have regular dental checkups to catch it early and professional cleanings to prevent it.

 

Gum pockets – The space between the root of the tooth and the gums is called the gum pocket.  Normally, it is no deeper than 3 mm in healthy gums.  When bacteria get inside a gum pocket, and they become deeper than 3 mm, it is considered periodontal disease.  This allows bacteria to accumulate under the gums that cannot be removed with brushing and flossing alone.  Left untreated, bacteria within the gum pockets can erode the bone and progress to worsen periodontal disease.

 

Dental Cleaning – A dental cleaning is a procedure that is performed by a dental hygienist or dentist in order to remove plaque, tartar and bacteria from on the teeth as well as between them and below the gums.  It is recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA) to have a professional dental cleaning at least twice per year.  It is often done with an ultrasonic, high-pressure water jet scaler or by hands, manually with a hand scaler.  It is a superficial cleaning of the teeth and gums that does not penetrate more than 3 mm into the gum pockets.

 

Prophylaxis - Prophylaxis is another word for dental cleaning.  A cleaning is a prevention to prevent gum diseases and tooth decay.

 

Deep Cleaning – A deep cleaning is a professional dental cleaning that is performed when the gum pockets are found to be deeper than 3 mm.  The gum pockets are the space between the root of the tooth and the gums where bacteria, plaque and tartar can accumulate.  When deeper than 3 mm, it is hard to remove them with flossing and brushing alone.  It then requires a professional deep cleaning.  A deep cleaning is very similar to a regular professional dental cleaning, however, it requires anesthesia to allow the dentists to clean deeper within the gums.  This also allows the patient to be comfortable and not have pain during a deep cleaning.  We are able to remove plaque, tartar and bacteria from deep within the root of the teeth and under the gums.

 

Scaler – A scaler is another name for the dental instrument that is utilized to remove plaque, tartar and bacteria from the teeth, between them, as well as under the gums.  A scaler can be a metallic hand instrument for manual scaling, or be an ultrasonic, high-pressure water jet.

 

Cavitron – A Cavitron is a dental device that is used by dental hygienist and dentists to perform teeth cleaning.  It uses high-pressure water and ultrasound to remove plaque, tartar and bacteria from the teeth, between them, as well as under the gums.  It is able to gently flush under the gums to provide an efficient and pain-free cleaning.

 

Prophy paste - Prophy paste is the polishing powder that is utilized to remove staining from the teeth.  It is applied with a high-speed spinning brush.