FIRST AID FOR GUM DISEASE
Frequently asked questions

The picture below shows the basic structures of the teeth and gums. The area to focus attention on is at the junction where the tooth passes into and through the gum tissue. You can think of it as an opening into the body. The tooth sticks out through this "hole" in the gum. All kinds of saliva mixed with food debris and bacteria and whatever else is in your mouth keeps trying to seep in along the  crevice and get inside you body. The healthy tight fit of your gums can withstand this 24 hour a day onslought. The key word is healthy. If the crevice or gum pocket around the teeth becomes spongy it can no longer stop the seepage and as the pockets increase in  size the seepage starts to infect the bone. When the bone gets infected it melts away and the teeth loosen. It does not have to be that way. With proper gum massage most  teeth can be saved. Prior to gum massage current pockets greater than 3 mm have to be eliminated  and any tartar stuck to the teeth or roots must be removed.

his photo shows the built up tartar below the gum line. On the left the tartar is in large chunks and can be removed by a process called scaling. On the right the tartar has accumulated in a flatter but broader area. This tartar can be removed by a process called root planing.

Both of these treatments can be performed by a hygienist. The gums respond by becoming healthier.