Periodontics: Caring for your gums

Caring for your teeth is an essential part of maintaining good oral health, but your gums also play an important role in your health, and proper care is crucial. Gum disease can be a serious detriment to your oral health and overall wellness, and Dr. Matthew Garrison of Garrison Family Dentistry provides the regular periodontal and checkups you need to maintain peak periodontal health and prevent gum disease.

 

With periodontal disease responsible for 75 percent of all adult tooth loss cases in the United States, it is critical to check for and treat periodontal issues when they first arise. Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums that starts when a build-up of plaque on your teeth hardens into tartar. As the tartar accumulates, bacteria collect and attack the soft tissue in the surrounding gums. In its early stages, this gum disease is gingivitis, but if it is left untreated, it becomes periodontis. Periodontis can destroy your gum tissue and lead to tooth loss. Periodontis can even result in a loss of bone mass in your jaw bone, and heart disease, diabetes and stroke have also been linked to poor periodontal health.

 

The state of your gums affects the health of your entire body, so come to our office for periodontal cleanings and treatment. We can even refer you to a recommended specialist if you require special treatment. We will make sure your gums are well cared for. Call (816) 532-8778 to schedule an appointment. For more information about our practice, visit www.garrisondentistry.com.

Proper Oral Hygiene

Proper dental hygiene is important for overall health, oral preventative care, and to decrease the amount of cleanings and procedures dentists need to perform during bi-annual check-ups. At Garrison Family Dentistry, we make sure our patients understand the importance of maintaining dental hygiene and its effects on their oral health.

 

Dental hygiene always starts at home, by gently brushing and flossing the teeth twice a day. This keeps the teeth clean, removes tartar buildup that can lead to cavities or infection, and keeps the teeth looking white. It also helps freshen the breath and reduce the risk of gum disease. Remember to replace your toothbrush every three months, or when the bristles become frayed. Good oral hygiene also includes limiting your intake of sugary foods and beverages that can prove harmful to your teeth.

 

Dr. Matthew Garrison and the rest of our team at Garrison Family Dentistry recommend dental check-ups every six months to keep the teeth clean. While dental hygiene requires regular brushing and flossing, a professional cleaning twice a year will provide even more preventative measures. This also gives us a chance to look for any potential problems, like finding a cavity that needs filled or seeing an erupting wisdom tooth that might need an extraction. Visit our dental practice today in Del Rio, TX, to learn more about proper dental hygiene.

Sedation Dentistry

Patients here at Garrison Family Dentistry not only receive quality dental procedures and treatments from our dentist Dr. Matthew Garrison, but they can make their visits more comfortable as well. Our practice offers multiple types ofsedation dentistry as a way to improve the patient’s experience when getting essential procedures. Dental work, like extractions, root canals, crowns and deep cleanings, is vital to the patient’s oral and overall health, but might cause dental anxiety while in the chair. This is why we are happy to provide this convenient service.

 

Patients that choose sedation dentistry benefit in the following ways:

• Patients and more relaxed during their procedures.
• The pain and discomfort level during appointments is decreased.
•  Patients with anxiety are more likely to visit the dentist for necessary treatments.
• Children and teens don’t feel as nervous about their dental appointments.

We offer oral conscious sedation and nitrous oxide sedation dentistry in our Smithfield, MO Garrison Family Dentistry office. Oral conscious sedation is given through medications or IV sedation that keeps the patient conscious, but extremely relaxed. Nitrous oxide is safe for all patients, and can be easily controlled. With nitrous oxide, patients don’t need a ride home as it wears off immediately.

Call us at 816-532-8706 to schedule an appointment and ask about sedation dentistry.