In the last blog we talked about tooth abrasion (see picture).
Here we have a patient with a large amount of recession3-4mm. The consequences of this amount of recession are
1) Sensitivity to cold. This can be severe in which case we have to fill the tooth which makes the recession even worse as you can never make the filling as smooth as the tooth.
2) It’s unsightly, cosmetically especially near the front making the teeth look longer, giving a premature aging effect.
3) As the uncovered part is the root and thus softer tooth surface it is more likely to decay and strain.
To complete the picture the patient’s plaque control is very good but that white layer at the side of the back tooth is plaque build up, missed by the tooth brush over a period of time. It is here in between the teeth that is the most important area as it’s here that periodontal disease is at its worst and of course it is here that is the hardest to clean.
Tooth Brushing is easy but getting all the plaque is off is so much harder than we all imagine, which is why it is so very important to regularly see a hygienist. We all need to see a hygienist because
1) She is able to access to plaque several weeks old (we all miss areas).
2) She make sure the home work is done to a good standard
3) She can remove all calculas (the hard areas that are microscopically rough).
4) She is able to polish stains away gently
5) We only employ nice hygienists so it is always a pleasant experience.
Remember, don’t brush too hard but make sure you brush effectively!!
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