Prevention / dental hygiene (DH)
Patients receive dental hygiene/preventive treatment from either a prevention assistant (PA) or a dental hygienist (DH).
- If the gums are firm and healthy and there is not much tartar present, you will be treated by a prevention assistant.
- If you have very loose, bleeding gums and tartar under the edge of the gums, a dental hygienist will provide the treatment.
As well as providing dental hygiene work, our team also keeps you informed and provides detailed explanations about techniques and tools that can be used for self-care. A dental hygiene appointment can also be combined with your annual routine check-up.
The decision on how often you should come in and see us is made individually: It depends on the state of your teeth and gums. Regardless of this, X-rays are taken every two years.
Prevention and professional dental hygiene
It has been known for more than 40 years that tooth loss can be prevented by regularly removing tartar and plaque.
In our practice at Oberrieden, dental hygiene work is carried out by highly trained specialists: The oral mucosa and teeth are inspected and any need for treatment is discussed immediately. Naturally, discolouration of all kinds is removed using the most modern, pain-free methods, such as ultrasonics and air abrasion
Periodontitis (periodontal disease)
Gum disease is caused by bacteria, which damage the soft tissues and destroy the supporting bone around the teeth.
Periodontitis is a disease which is usually chronic and painless, so the patient may be unaware of his or her condition for a long time. As a result valuable time has often already passed and some teeth have to be extracted due to early loosening.
The cause of the disease are:
- Poor oral hygiene and insufficient professional tooth cleaning
- Smoking
- Stress
- Old or poorly fitting crowns or fillings
- Incorrect tooth position that cannot be cleaned.
- Pregnancy, puberty and other hormonal changes
- Immune system disorders (diabetes and leukaemia)
Consequences of periodontal disease:
- Loosening of teeth and early tooth loss
- Exposed tooth necks (sensitivities and caries significantly increased)
- Halitosis
- Restoration is no longer possible with crowns, bridges and implants
- Risk of systemic diseases such as heart attack, stroke, premature births, joint diseases, etc., is greatly increased
