Many of our patients will associate white, sparkly teeth with dental health. While this may be the case, what goes on beneath the surface is just as important.

Gums are the foundation of teeth. Unhealthy gums are generally bright red, puffy and may even bleed on their own. These are the first signs of gum disease and a shaky foundation. If the foundation is not firm then a white, bright smile won’t last for long.

Bacteria that is left to accumulate around the gum line can begin to form gum pockets. Gum pockets are areas where bacteria is left to grow undisturbed below the cleanable, visible areas of your teeth.

Pocketing may be the result of a loss of underlying bone in the area.

How does this happen?

Bacteria is left to accumulate in areas that are not regularly cleaned. This is predominantly found in the areas in between teeth that need to be flossed to prevent bacteria from hiding in these hard to reach areas.

What next?

Your Sensational Smiles dental professional will do a full assessment of your gums as part of your regular hygiene visit with us. This will give us a clear indication of any areas where there may be bone loss. Once detected, we can make the necessary recommendations. The required treatment is what we call a deep clean. During a deep clean, anaesthetic is applied to the affected area for your comfort. We then go down to the very base of the pocket and clean out in bacteria that is causing the pocketing. From here, the gums are given the chance to heal and we see you more regularly to ensure bacteria doesn’t get a chance to re-fill the now empty gum pockets.

How to take care of your gums in three easy steps:

1. Brush twice daily
2. Floss once daily
3. Come see the friendly team at Sensational Smiles at least once every six months!