Maintaining healthy teeth and gums relies on a number of factors to work effectively together. These include a reasonably tooth friendly diet, a good oral health regime with regular, quality brushing and also the use of dental floss to reach those tricky to get at areas where food and bacteria can become trapped.
This is as far as many people go though, and whilst it is certainly a good start, the addition of professional cleaning by the hygienist at Purley Dental Care every six months or so, will take your oral health to a different level. Patients who have not had this done before often report what a difference it makes, not only the way their mouth feels, but often the appearance of their teeth as well.
Whilst a teeth whitening treatment is still the most effective way of having a whiter smile, a professional teeth and gum clean using the Airflow system can still improve the colour of your teeth by removing some surface staining from the enamel.
Airflow is a dental system used for cleaning the teeth and gum line which uses a combination of air, water and a fine powder to help with abrasion. In many cases, the powder can also be flavoured to make the treatment more pleasant. This mixture is then ‘blasted’ at the teeth and gum line using a fine jet, helping to remove stains, plaque and tartar and contributing to an overall healthier mouth.
The Airflow system avoids or at least reduces, the need for the more manual methods that are often used by dental hygienists. This includes the ‘scaling’ part of the procedure which is sometimes referred to by patients as ‘scraping’. Although this is not painful, it can lead to a ‘pulling’ sensation between the teeth which some patients find unpleasant.
The use of fine jets also enables this liquid to reach into areas that other methods might not be able to. This is important as it is often in these areas that problems start to occur.
One area that this method is particularly useful for is for cleaning the teeth and gums when a patient is wearing the traditional ‘track track’ style braces, even if these are of the more modern and discrete variety. The use of wires and brackets means that cleaning the teeth can be quite tricky and the risk of tooth decay and gum disease is increased during this time. Being able to blast fine jets of water and air around the dental braces means that more food residue and bacteria is removed and will help you to maintain healthy teeth while you wear them.
Similarly, Airflow can be beneficial for our Purley dental patients who have teeth implants. As you probably know, the biggest threats to implants are periodontitis and peri-implantitis. Using Airflow can really help to clean around the implant and help to ensure its stability and longevity.
One minor complaint that some patients have following a general ‘scale and polish’ procedure is that their teeth feel a little more sensitive for a short while afterwards. While this is temporary, it is still good to know that this is less likely when Airflow is used due to its non-invasive nature.
It is also an excellent option for use on children who may be less tolerant of more manual methods and may even enjoy the feeling of water jets in their mouth.
If you would like to find out more about Airflow or the other oral hygiene services offered at Purley Dental Care, please call us today on 020 8660 2928.
