Periodontics and Hygiene

Prevention is the key to optimal dental health. With the appropriate care and attention you will avoid suffering dental sickness in the future.

The accumulation of bacterial placque in the teeth and gum is one of the main causes of dental issues. Bacterial plcque is a fine layer which forms over our teeth whenever we don’t eliminate food remains or germs from our mouth correctly. It is therefore necessary to eliminate it with appropriate oral hygiene.

 When bacterial plaque is not eliminated from the teeth within 24h, it hardens and becomes much more corrosive and harmful. When this happens, the only way to eliminate plaque is through cleaning by a dental hygienist.

Our 5 basic tips

• Brush your teeth every time you eat, at least 3 times a day, especially when you eat sugar or sweet foods, since they are bacteria’s favourite. In order to do this correctly, we recommend dividing our efforts into 4 main areas, top-right, top-left, bottom-right and bottom-left. Make sure you dedícate 30 seconds to each of these areas for a total of 2 minutes.

• It is important to clean the tongue and cheecks with the same toothbrush, since these are locations which tend to accumulate large amounts of bacteria and food remains.

• In order to take care of your mouth and prevent future issues, ask for an appointmentr with your hygienist for a periodic teeth cleaning treatment.

• Eat a balanced and healthy diet. Elevated sugar levels can lead to the flourishing of bacteria affecting your teeth and gums.

• See your dentist. Even if you believe your teeth are clean and healthy, it is important for a specialist to evaluate your oral and dental health.

In order to achieve a better level of oral hygiene, use dental floss, mouth was and an interdental brush aside from your regular toothbrush. If you have fixed prosthetics or an orthodontic treatments, an electric flosser or irrigator would be ideal to eliminate a large amount of food remains.

In order to brush your teeth you will need:

 Toothbrush: You may choose a manual or electric brush. Pick one with soft bristles and rounded filaments. Make sure to switch to a new toothbrush periodically.

Toothpaste: Choose your favourite one, but make sure it contains flourine. This substance has been proved to prevent dental decay.

 Dental floss: Cleans interdental spaces daily. In order to do so, dental floss is your best option. Without dental floss, we risk neglecting up to 40% of tooth surface.

Mouthwash: Helps us carry out a more profound oral cleaning, penetrating through bacterial celular walls and inhibiting enzyme activity. Its use will help us keep dental plaque at bay.

Calculus is bacterial plaque which has hardened over the teeth because of mineral deposits. When it appears, it causes teeth to change color to a very unappealing yellow tone. Calculus may appear despite keeping a correct dental hygiene. Often it is difficult to completely eliminate food remains and over time they harden and create a sticky layer.

 Aside from a cosmetic issue, it can become a serious health issue. If plaque is not eliminated correctly you may suffer consequences such as:

• Gum inflammation (gingivitis)
• Bad breath (halitosis)
• Dental decay, because the bacteries inside plaque and calculus excrete acids which weaken tooth enamel.
• Tooth loss due to calculus accumulating under the teeth and destroying the bone sorrounding and anchoring them, which increases their mobility (periodontitis).
• Systemic illnesses and digestive issues.

Even if you brush your teeth and floss daily, it is essential to visit a dentist for a regular professional cleaning if you want your teeth to remain in optimal conditions.

What does professional cleaning consist off? Through cleaning treatments, carried out at the dental clinic, bacterial plaque is removed (a white coat which adheres to the teeth) and calculus, which cannot be eliminated through brushing at the patients own home. If these substances are left to accumulate in your teeth, the conditions for bacterial growth towards the gums have been created. The result is the loss of teeth in the long term.

The dentist eliminates plaque and calculus pockets in the teeth by scraping them manual instruments, or using ultrasonic instruments, which eliminate through the use of vibration. Once the teeth are perfectly clean, they are polished and smoothed, leaving a brilliant finished look. The last step is the cleaning treatment using flouride.

 By polishing and cleaning the teeth, we aim to make the surface clean and smooth so bacteria cannot attach to it. If it is carried as often as your oral health requires, you will be able to keep your teeth in optimal conditions with regular cleaning at home between sessions.

Furthermore, professional cleaning also eliminates any stains present in the teeth.

Keep your tongue clean when you brush your teeth. Is it important to brush the tongue? It really is, because food remains don’t only adhere to the teeth, but also anywhere inside the mouth. Food remains in the tongue often cause bad breath.

When the tongue is yellow or White, it can imply there are liver or digestion problems, but in most cases experts assure it is not sever and is usually just caused by a hygiene-related issue.

To remove that stainning color from your tongue, you must brush every time you brush your teeth, making sure you go over the affected area. Other factors which may cause your tongue to acquire a yellow tone may be cigarettes and coffee, and it is therefore convenient to stop smoking or drinking coffee when this happens.

Finally, if the yellow tone in the tongue and bad breath remain, you should visit your dentist since there is probably a more sever issue involved. However, even if you feel like you don’t suffer from these problems, it is still very imporant for oral hygiene to continue brushing often.

1.  How should I clean my teeth? Carry out your dental cleaning with care and calmly, take your time. Don’t forget to brush the points of difficult access, like gums and posterior teeth.

2. How often should I brush? For your teeth to remain clean it is essential that you clean them after every meal, at least 3 times a day.

3. What type of brush should i use? We recommend the use of an electric toothbrush. It will allow circular movement which is necessary to eliminate bacteria and food remains. If you have any doubts about how to perform correct dental home cleaning you can ask us when you come to see us. We will give you tips and keys to perfect cleaning.

4. When should I buy a new toothbrush? Both with a conventional or an electric toothbrush it is important to switch to a new very 3 months (approximately).

5. When should I go to the dentist? Don’t wish for issues to arise before visiting our clinic. Periodic check-ups allow us to monitor the developments in your dental health. This way, we will be able to prevent gum and tooth sickness before it happens.

6. What foods should I avoid? Diest is a very important factor which influences every aspect of our lives. A healthy diet for optimal dental health involves a low intake of sugar. Furthermore, we recommend you reduce or eliminate fizzy drinks and critrics from your diet because they can damage dental enamel.

Florida Probe is the tool we at out clinic to detect potential gum issues, such a Periodontitis.

El electrobisturí es una herramienta básica en el campo de la electrocirugía, que tiene muchas ventajas en odontología.

Por su modo de funcionamiento los bordes de la herida se coagulan, lo que ayuda a mejorar la precisión de las intervenciones y a realizarlas de forma mínimamente invasiva, segura e indolora a la vez que se consigue una gran tasa de éxito en las intervenciones y una recuperación más rápida del paciente.

Gingivitis is a periodontal affliction which causes gingival inflammation as a consequence of bacteria accumulation between the teeth and gum.

One of the first signs which may alert the patient is the bleeding of the gums during tooth brushing. It is often caused by insufficient oral hygiene, although there are other factors which contribute to the development of gingivitis, among which we find smoking, systemic ilnesses, certain medication, badly aligned teeth or pregnancy.

To avoid gingivitis, a yearly check-up is required with the objective of eliminating bacterial accumulation and detect the affliction at an early development stage.

It usually follows insufficient dental hygiene and causes excessive redness in the gums, as well as swelling and bleeding. It may also appear during pregnancy or as a side effect of certain medication. When gingivitis is left untreated, over time it may become periodontitis.

Treatment

Treatment consists of dental cleaning to eliminate bacteria accumulating between the tooth and the gum. It is recommended to carry out one dental cleaning a year to avoid gingivitis.

Accumulation of excessive dental plaque between the gum and tooth finally causes spontaneous bleeding and the creation of periodontal pockets. Bacteria accumulate in these pockets, destroying bone and surrounding tissues which support the teeth. Some of the toughest consequences can involve tooth mobility or loss.

Treatments

1. Basic treatment: Consists of Scaling and Root planningto eliminate plaque which can be found under the gum, close to the dental root and which cannot be eliminated through simple cleaning treatments. This way, we eliminate periodontal pockets where bacteria accumulate and which are the cause of bleeding and inflammation.

2. Advanced treatment: If periodontal pockets have not disappeared 90 days after scaling and root planning, the next step will be Periodontal Access surgery with the objective of eliminating periodontic pockets and subgingival plaque.

Once the root causes of gingivitis and periodontitis have been eliminated, we must carry out periodic maintenance to ensure the success of the treatment and long-term management of the issue

Dr. Pablo Avilés is an expert in Digital Dentistry, Implantology and Oral Rehabilitation with over 18 years of professional experience. He was a pioneer in Spain in the development of immediate function treatments through different techniques, among the the All-On-4 method and zygomatic implants.

In 2007 he carried the first guided minimally invasive surgery in Andalucía, and in 2016 launched the Digital Dental Clinic concept, an innovative perspective on Odontology. Applying technology to all phases of the process, from diagnostics to design and manufacturing, the patient receives a better treatment of greater accuracy, in a smaller time and with greatly increased confort and results.

As a partner at Aviles and Roman Clinic, he leads the Advanced Education Area for the specialist course in Digital Dentistry, Implants and Oral Rehabilitation, also being the only official trainer for the AllOn4 technique in Spain.

In 2014, he joined Dental Medical Group together with a group of dentists and stomatologists from Spain and Portugal with   objective of sparking a profound rethinking of the Dentistry sector, shaped by the rapid evolution and propagation of new technologies and innovations in dental clinic management. Dental Medical Group includes some of the best dental care clinics in each region showing continuous improvement in their search for excellence to maximise client satisfaction.

Furthermore, Dr. Pablo Avilés participates as a mentor a lecturer in various professional congresses and seminars together with the leading firm in the implant sector, Nobel Biocare, carrying out live surgeries.