A Rough Root Surface Has Had Little Attention
Imagine a road that badly needs resurfacing. When one drives on this, it has potholes, heaving asphalt, and sloppy surface patches. This road has had lots of use but little attention.
That’s the only analogy that I can think of to explain the root surface of teeth. I can only feel the irregularities, usually from tartar, and I can measure the depth of the surrounding jaw bone lost, year after year. If lots of bone is lost, I also feel the tooth shift from side to side. If the gum tissue is unhealthy, it is red in spots and sometimes puffy. It bleeds easily. This tooth gets lots of use but little attention. Yet, it rarely hurts.
The Winterset dental hygienists are fabulous at removing accumulated debris (plaque, tartar/calculus) from root surfaces, reestablishing a smooth surface that stays cleaner, longer, when dental floss is used regularly. The naturally-occurring bacteria in every person’s mouth has a hard time surviving on smooth root surfaces, especially when daily dental floss use disrupts its matrix.
When patients don’t feel mouth pain, it is understandable that they assume all is well. When their gums bleed routinely, they just take more vitamins or add mouthwash to their daily regimen. But this doesn’t remove the tartar or invigorate the gum tissue. It does reduce the bacterial count, for a short time.
The next time you encounter a road that needs resurfacing, check whether you have an upcoming appointment or need to make one. I can already guess that some of you are snickering, thinking about all Chicago-area roads that need resurfacing! You don’t need daily appointments…