Good oral health begins with following a few simple guidelines:

• Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.  Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months, or sooner, if the bristles become frayed.
  Clean between your teeth with dental floss or an inter-dental cleaner.  Flossing removes particles and plaque in between teeth and under the gum line, where toothbrushes can’t reach.
• Eat a balanced diet.
• Visit your dentist regularly, every 6 months, for a professional cleaning and oral exam.  Professional cleaning removes plaque and tartar build-up that can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

Gum Disease (Periodontal Disease)
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues that support your teeth. When plaque is not removed from the teeth, it builds up along the gum line. The plaque, which is mostly made of bacteria, produces by-products that can irritate the tissues that support your teeth and cause periodontal disease.  Periodontal diseases attack just below the gum line. As the tissues are damaged, the v-shaped crevice that surrounds each tooth develops into a pocket.  Generally, as the disease becomes more severe, the pocket grows deeper. Consequently, it becomes increasingly more difficult to keep the pockets free of plaque.    

The two major stages of periodontal disease are gingivitis and periodontitis.  Gingivitis affects only the gums and is a condition that may be reversed with professional plaque removal treatments.  If left untreated, gingivitis may lead to more destructive forms of periodontal disease called periodontitis.  At this stage, plaque spreads to the roots, causing infection and damaging the supporting bone and fibers.  Gums may separate from the tooth and start to recede. A pocket forms below the gumline and traps plaque and food.  Usually, your dentist can still treat the disease at this point. However, in advanced stages of periodontitis, a dentist may decide to remove the tooth to prevent further damage.

Symptoms
It is possible to have periodontal disease without having any warning signs.  This is one more reason why regular dental check-ups are so important.  Early treatment is essential to help keep periodontal disease from becoming more serious or from recurring. 

Several warning signs of a problem are:

• Gums that bleed easily during brushing or flossing
• Gum tenderness or pain
• Changes in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
• Persistent bad breath or bad taste
• Permanent teeth that are loose or separating
• Gums that have pulled away from the teeth

Tooth Repair

Fillings
When decay creates a cavity, the dentist usually fills it with a durable material that may be a composite (a tooth colored material), amalgam (a metal alloy), or gold.   A filling can last from five years to a lifetime, depending on its location, the material used and the care you give your teeth.  Gold has the longest lifespan, followed by amalgams, and then composites.  

Crowns
Crowns, which are sometimes referred to as “caps,” are used to cover teeth that have been weakened by decay around fillings or that are severely damaged, decayed, chipped discolored, or misaligned.  The most common materials used for crowns are metal (gold), porcelain, or porcelain fused to metal.