Overall health is important to your well-being. Good health is a gradual process and must be maintained. An important step for overall health is to maintain good oral health. Periodontal disease is a chronic condition that negatively impacts your oral health. Stress, inadequate home care, medications, diabetes and hormones are a few of the factors that contribute to the destruction of oral tissues.

If you have been diagnosed with periodontal disease, periodontal cleanings are necessary to monitor the disease process. During your cleanings, we will check for pocketing, tooth mobility, oral cancer and evaluate any other concerns. Your overall health and dental situation, along with strict monitoring by Dr. Pylant and his hygienists, help him to determine your cleaning schedule. A six-month cleaning schedule typically will not keep your oral condition stable. Most of our patients require a three-to-four-month schedule alternating between your general dentist's office and ours (regardless of whether or not you have undergone periodontal surgery).

Your treatment is a co-therapy between your general dentist, Dr. Pylant and you. In order to maintain good oral health, you cannot rely solely on your three-to-four-month periodontal cleanings. You must help us through daily home care. The Oral Hygiene Instructions below are what we recommend.

For a printable version of our oral hygiene instructions, click the link: Oral Hygiene Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ORAL HYGIENE CARE:

• Brush 2 to 3 times a day with a soft toothbrush. Use a 45-degree angle and massage the gums with a short side-to-side motion and light pressure for 2 minutes.
• Floss once daily using the "C" technique. Pressure should be on the teeth and not cutting the gum. Do not push toward the gums too hard. It will cut the gums.
• Listerine is the preferred mouthwash. Brush with the Listerine before bedtime daily, or irrigate with it if you are using a Waterpik.
  - Listerine may be contraindicated with excessive tobacco use/alcohol consumption.
  (Ask us)
  - Nonalcoholic mouth rinses (such as Crest Pro-Health) are available.
• Biotene, Oasis Spray, GC Drymouth Gel are recommended for patients who suffer from dry mouth. They are alcohol-free and help to lubricate and condition the oral tissues.
• We recommend electric toothbrushes and prefer the Sonicare Elite model for most of our patients.
• If you use a Waterpik, always place it on a low-to-medium setting. Should you choose to use Listerine in the unit, mix the mouthwash with warm water (1/3 mouth wash to 2/3 water) to irrigte. Place the tip straight through the spaces in the teeth. Do not angle the tip up or down. If the pressure is too hard, reduce the setting.
• Stimudents, soft picks, toothpicks and stimulators may be used to massage the gumline. This is especially helpful to reduce puffiness.
• Proxabrushes and Go-Betweens are used to clean any spaces between the teeth. Dip them in Listerine prior to use.
• We do not recommend baking soda or tarter control toothpaste because they are too abrasive. "Regular" or "sensitive" of any brand is recommended. Also, make sure it contains fluoride.