Periodontal Scaling and Root Planing

Periodontal scaling and root planing is a method of removing toxic agents from gum tissue and surrounding bone. It is a non-surgical procedure that cleans dental plaque and tartar (calculus). Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour use scaling and planing at Southern Cross Dental as both a preventive measure and as a stand-alone treatment.

Common reasons for scaling and planing are disease prevention, tooth protection, aesthetic effects, and better breath. Oral bacteria that cause periodontal infections can spread throughout the body. Scaling and planing can eliminate bacteria before it has a chance to spread. Cleaning out deeper teeth pockets will also clean out colonies of bacteria. This prevents an inflammatory response which leads to gingival and tooth decay. Superficial stains on the teeth are removed in the scaling and planing process, and the cleaning itself can eliminate food particles from the mouth that are causing bad breath.

At your appointment with Drs. Rahimpour, a visual examination, and x-ray of your mouth will take place. Scaling is performed with special dental instruments. They will remove the calculus and plaque and can provide an antimicrobial agent below the gum lines. The root planing will remove surface dentin full of bacteria and tartar.

Follow any instructions provided by Drs. Rahimpour following your scaling and root planing treatments. Antibiotics may be prescribed to ensure successful healing. At your follow up appointment the gum pockets will be checked for any irregularities. In some cases, more extensive treatments may be recommended.

To learn more about periodontal scaling and root planing, or Southern Cross Dental services, visit our website or call today. Dr. Navid Rahimpour, D.D.S. and Dr. Faranak Rahimpour, D.D.S. are located in Colorado Spring, Colorado. Contact us on our website, or call at 719-471-1717.

 

How to Clean a Night Guard

Night time teeth grinding can seriously damage a person’s enamel and cause them a lot of jaw pain. We at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs are pleased to see patients with bruxism using night guards to protect themselves, but night guards need to be cleaned properly. Otherwise, they could become a source of halitosis and covered in bacterial build-up.

In the morning, a wearer should brush the night guard after removing it. As with anything dental-related, only a soft-bristled toothbrush should be used. Although soaking a night guard in soap and water or a cleaning solution will eliminate some bacteria, most manufacturers still recommend daily brushings. But fluoridated toothpaste is unnecessary and should be avoided; the minerals in it could scratch the night guard’s plastic, giving bacteria a hiding place.

While dentures should be kept wet at all times, night guards need to be patted dry and put in a clean, ventilated case. (Washing the case every day is also a good idea.) The case should not be left anywhere hot enough to put the night guard at risk for warping, and the wearer should not attempt to adjust it themselves. It is expected that the wearer’s teeth will migrate slightly, but a night guard can usually be refitted professionally.

Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour operate Southern Cross Dental at 1855 S Nevada Ave, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80905-2516. To schedule an appointment, call 719-471-1717 or visit Southern Cross Family Dentistry and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Caring For Your Retainer

Many orthodontic patients require a retainer at the end of orthodontic treatment.  Removable retainers are an easy step to take to preserve a straight smile. At Southern Cross Dental we see many patients who use retainers, and we knowcaring for your retainer properly is important so that it functions and lasts as long as possible.  A silly but common mistake people make with their retainers is trying to cut corners -- don’t try to clean or brush your retainer while it’s still in your mouth!  You can’t quickly scrub your retainer while brushing your teeth -- the retainer cannot be completely cleaned of debris this way, and toothpaste can also be abrasive to the plastic of the retainer.  Always remove your retainer before cleaning thoroughly with water and your toothbrush, and use a mild dish or hand soap to help clean off debris, never abrasive toothpaste.

You should clean your retainer daily, and also treat it weekly by soaking.  Soaking helps maintain the cleanliness of the retainer and keep it from drying out.  To soak the retainer, dissolve denture cleaning tablets in water or add a little baking soda to water to make a solution.  Storing your retainer properly is also important for its longevity.  Get in the habit of always using and carrying a case.  Too retainers have disappeared after being folded up in napkins!

Visit www.scdsmile.com for more information about the services we provide. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call 719-471-1717.

What Is Arestin?

When the body develops a bacterial infection, an antibiotic is used to treat it. The same applies to infections that start in the gums.  Southern Cross Dental can use arestin for patients with periodontitis who need a scaling and root planing procedure performed. Periodontitis is a chronic bacterial infection, caused by plaque, which has settled underneath the tooth’s surface below the gum line.

Arestin has the ability to reduce the severity of periodontal disease.  After a scaling and root planning procedure, the medicine is applied to gums in powder form.  In a clinical study, when used in addition to scaling and root planing, arestin reduced harmful bacteria by nearly 2 times as much as scaling and root planing alone. This is because adding arestin to the mix disrupts the progression of periodontitis by specifically targeting the active infection.

If you have questions or concerns about the status of your periodontal health, please give us a call. To learn about all the treatments provided at the practice, visit www.scdsmile.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call 719-471-1717.

Smoking and Dental Pulp Infections

The body contains natural defenses against tooth infections, but smoking can compromise them. At Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, we frequently provide reliable endodontic treatment to people with infected dental pulp. But new scientific research has uncovered why smokers are likelier than other people to suffer pulp infections, and why their infections tend to be more severe.

Dental pulp becomes inflamed as an automatic immune system response to an infection or injury. This prevents bacteria from spreading and flushes the infected area with white blood cells and antimicrobial peptides. The latter are molecules that attach to the disease-spreading bacteria, neutralizing or killing them. But smokers suffer from pulp infections that are twice as likely to require root canals, and a new study found that their pulp has far fewer antimicrobial peptides.

A root canal removes infected dental pulp, but there is always a possibility of an infection returning. We use antibacterial washes to reduce that chance and provide periodontal therapy to combat infections that spread to gum tissue. But patients should be aware that worse pulp infections are one more consequence of smoking, and that there is some evidence that renewed antimicrobial peptide production is one of the benefits of quitting.

Drs. Navid and Faranak Rahimpour operate Southern Cross Dental at 1855 S Nevada Ave, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80905-2516. To schedule an appointment, call 719-471-1717 or visit Southern Cross Family Dentistry and fill out a contact sheet.

 

What Is An Apicoectomy?

The doctors at Southern Cross dental perform many root canals to save and repair teeth that are badly damaged or infected.  A root canal procedure involves removing any inflamed or infected tissue, and thoroughly cleaning the root canal system.  In most root canal cases, the tooth heals and doesn’t require further treatment. When an infection won’t go away or the canals become re-infected, our doctors can perform an apicoectomy.

An apicoectomy removes damaged tissue and seals a tooth’s root from any further infections.  The procedure involves a small incision in the gums, followed by removal of any infected tissue and finally the end of the root tip itself.  A root-end filling is placed there to act as a seal, preventing reinfection. The gum is sutured, and most patients only feel slight discomfort or swelling during healing.  If you have a tooth infection lingering after a root canal gone wrong, please contact us to discuss your treatment options.

To learn more about the apicoectomy procedure and all the services provided at the practice, visit www.scdsmile.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call 719-471-1717.

Water Flossing

A little floss goes a long way when it comes to oral health. Flossing is an important step to remove food particles that have been left behind after brushing. Flossing can significantly reduce periodontal disease and cavity-causing causing bacteria that leads to tooth decay, but sometimes the act of flossing is difficult for a patient with orthodontics.  The doctors at Southern Cross Dental may suggest using a water flosser for those hard to reach places!

A safe, easy, and effective way to remove plaque around dental braces is to use a water flosser. A water flosser is a handheld device that sprays streams of water in steady pulses. Not only is this beneficial to patients with traditional braces, water flossers are also an option for people who have trouble flossing by hand. You should never get by on flossing alone. It’s important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss at least once a day to reap the maximum benefits of a healthy mouth.

To learn more about flossing and the services provided at the practice, visit www.scdsmile.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Southern Cross Dental in Colorado Springs, CO, call 719-471-1717.