Wanserski Dental
550 N. 17th Avenue
Wausau, Wisconsin
54401
(715) 848-2435
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Whether you have had extensive dental treatment or not, one of the most important things for your mouth is good daily oral hygiene. There are a number of products available to assist with cleaning and each individual will find personal preferences when choosing aids for home care. Basic toothbrushing and flossing are most important. A soft toothbrush is what is recommended and flossing at least once daily is best. There is current research that indicates that good oral hygiene is beneficial to one’s overall health. The Surgeon General of the United States in the first ever report on Oral Health cited links between periodontal disease and heart disease, and low birth weight babies to name a few. Understanding tooth structure is an important part of understanding the disease process. |
When visiting the office for a hygiene visit assessments are performed to check for the health of the supporting structures and other factors that would indicate susceptibility to periodontal (gum) disease. A periodontal probe is used to measure the gums and determine where they are attached on to the root surface of the tooth. This information, the use of dental x-rays and determiniation of other risk factors assist in making a diagnosis.
Stages of Gum Disease:
- Stage 1 Gingivitis
Symptoms may include swelling of the tissues, bleeding tenderness or bad breath. At this stage gums may be loose but still attached high on the teeth.
- Stage 2 Periodontitis
Symptoms may include bright red or receding gums, spaces between your teeth, calculus (tartar) along the gumline, and some symptoms of stage 1.
- Stage 3 Periodontal Disease
Symptoms include generalized bleeding and inflammation of the gums, with loss of bone between the teeth, mobility, receding gums, exudate (puss) may be evident when pressing on the gums. Also includes symptoms of stages 1 and 2.
Surgical treatment, if necessary normally requires a referral to a Periodontist (gum surgeon) and may include individual teeth or sections of the mouth. |
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Healthy gums should not bleed or feel tender when you brush or floss. When you visit the dental office for regular recall appointments you will see the dental hygienist. In Wisconsin dental hygienist’s are registered and licensed with the state. This means they are graduates of an accredited dental hygiene program. The dental hygienist will work with the doctor to document health of the gum tissues and look for signs of disease. The hygienist will provide patient education, nutrition counseling and other preventive oral health information. Hygiene recall appointments can vary from every 2 months to most often every 6 months. This will be determined by each individuals treatment plan and home care habits.
Our office offers progressive nonsurgical treatment options for treatment of periodontal disease when surgery is not the treatment of choice. |
The periodontal exam (evaluation of the gums) done at each visit provides us the information to determine if a site specific area needs to be treated. There are a number of options available and the choice depends on the individual circumstances.
PerioChip ®
PerioChip is a small chip that releases an antimicrobial substance directly into the tissues surrounding the tooth. Together with scaling and rooth debridement (cleaning of the teeth and root surfaces) this is an effective therapy for treatment of some areas affected by gum disease.
Arestin ™
Arestin is a fast easy way to treat areas of periodontal disease. It is an antibiotic that is delivered to the tissues surrounding the teeth that are affected. Antibiotic is gradually released allowing it to work for 14 days so that it can kill the infection more effectively and help heal your gums.
Both types of treatments have restrictions and they can be further discussed at the time of treatment. |
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