Teeth Cleanings & Gum Disease Treatment in Mays Landing & Somers Point, NJ
Enjoy thorough and gentle cleanings.
Professional Teeth Cleaning
Our well-trained hygienists provide very thorough cleanings and deep cleanings for gum disease. They use refined, gentle techniques to make cleanings easy on the patient, as well as to remove calculus from those hard-to-reach places. After the cleaning is completed, we use special polishers to give your teeth a shiny, whiter finish.
All of our hygienists have been with us for a long time at Dr. John Nosti. Our patients see the same hygienist each time they come, giving them a chance to develop a good relationship and history of treatment.
A good understanding of oral health and how gum disease is caused is important in keeping teeth healthy. Our hygienists educate patients using intraoral cameras and digital photography so patients can see where they are succeeding and where they are failing in their oral care. Our hygienists will show patients how to best look after their teeth and gums, and for young kids, we have big models of teeth and large brushes.
- Heidi
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What Is Gum Disease?
Gum disease occurs when hardened bacteria in the form of calculus or tartar builds up around the roots of the teeth. This causes the gums to detach from the teeth, allowing more bacteria to accumulate in the pockets that have been formed.
As the disease progresses, the pockets increase in size, and the gums can become inflamed and swollen. The early stages of gum disease are known as gingivitis. When it progresses even further, the inflammation caused by the bacteria leads to the destruction of the surrounding bone and ligaments, and eventual tooth loss.
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Gum Disease Treatment
Thorough, deep cleaning is still the best line of attack on gum disease. We use ultrasonic scalers to loosen the calculus (tartar) and fine hand instruments to remove the remaining calculus and polish the root surface.
Deep cleaning is also known as scaling and root planing. In scaling, our hygienist removes plaque (a sticky film of bacteria) and calculus (hardened plaque).
Scaling is done above the gum line in cleanings and below the gum line in deep cleanings. Root planing is done to smooth any rough areas and remove any residual calculus. The smooth surface encourages the gums to reattach to the root and discourages plaque build-up.
To kill off any remaining bacteria, we use Arestin® antibiotic treatment, a timed-release antibiotic schedule using capsules placed in the gum pockets.
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Severe Gum Disease Treatment
Through our deep cleanings and patient education in Mays Landing & Somers Point, NJ, we have helped many patients get their severe gum disease under control and save their teeth.
When severe gum disease doesn’t respond to our treatment, our dentist works with an excellent partner periodontist, a specialist in gum disease treatment.
