At Artistic Dentistry of Atlanta we have a saying that we live by daily: “We Love Pink Gums!”. We believe that every patient should have the opportunity to keep their teeth and gums healthy for a lifetime. Research today is showing more and more direct links to the bacterial infection in patients’ gums and systemic health issues such as heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, early term pregnancy births and cancer, such as oral cancer. So gum care is not just about keeping your teeth, it is about your overall health.
When your gums are pink and healthy then you require only a biannual routine teeth cleaning, or dental prophy. By definition, a prophy is a polish of the teeth with bacterial control on the surface of the teeth and just below the healthy gums.
Dental insurance reimbursement schedules are set up around the healthy patient who only needs maintenance and limited dental upkeep. A dental prophy is very affordable and there is very little out of pocket cost even for our uninsured patients. And it is a great investment for your long-term health!
A deep cleaning is necessary when a patient has a high bacterial and high tarter count below the gum line. This high bacterial count causes inflammation resulting in bone loss, debilitating tooth loss and the systemic health issues that we discussed above.
Patients with periodontal disease do have just that, a disease. It may be due to the fact that they have neglected their oral health for some time or they may have a systemic health issue. The important thing is that a deep cleaning can help stop the progression of gum disease and tooth loss.
A deep cleaning cost more because it requires the use of advanced dental technologies and antibacterial medications. At Artistic Dentistry of Atlanta we utilize the Piezo Ultra-Sonic teeth and gum cleaning device with medications to kill bacteria, strengthen your teeth and decrease sensitivity. We use diode laser technology to eliminate diseased tissue and to allow the gums to quickly and gently heal bacteria free. Finally, we instruct our patients on home care including the Rotadent Home Care Brush and oral medicaments and techniques that they can use to help control and combat future gum disease issues.
“We Love Pink Gums!” and it shows. Please visit our Gum Care section of our website and further explore our teeth cleaning procedures. Please click on the links to view the educational videos as well. And, finally, whether you need a simple teeth cleaning or a deep cleaning we look forward to helping you keep your teeth for a lifetime.