Preventive Dentistry
Preventive dentistry is a combination of routine dental appointments and establishing good dental practices such as brushing and flossing routinely. Attentive oral care should begin at a very young age and should not be overlooked as time goes on. Maintaining strong dental health starts at home with a good oral hygiene routine and a balanced diet. The success of your dentist and dental hygienist’s efforts to promote, restore, and maintain your oral health reflects the commitment to the prevention of tooth decay and gum disease at home.
Brush your teeth twice a day, especially before going to bed at night, with a soft bristle brush and toothpaste. We recommend using an electric toothbrush because they work more efficiently. Floss daily to keep your teeth, gums, and mouth healthy. We talk to our patients about working to avoid acidic foods/drinks as they can harm tooth enamel. Avoiding tobacco products is also important as it is linked to oral cancer and periodontal disease. Your smile will thank you for following your dentist’s advice regarding at home care.
Preventive care plays a big role in dental hygiene. Routine checkups, cleanings, and x-rays all help prevent tooth decay and have a significant role. Additionally, sealants and fluoride are also very useful preventive interventions.
Teeth Cleaning
Regular prophylaxis cleaning
Teeth cleaning helps remove plaque and tartar from your teeth, if left behind, can lead to tooth decay and gum disease. While brushing and flossing are important for keeping your teeth clean, it’s also important to have regular cleanings by a dental hygienist.
What to expect:
During a professional teeth cleaning, plaque and tartar are removed from your teeth using a series of instruments reaching to areas that are not reachable by toothbrush and floss. After the teeth are freed of any plaque, tartar, and staining, teeth are then flossed and professionally polished.
Deep cleaning (periodontal “gum” disease)
- Approximately 4 out of 5 adults have gum disease but are not aware of it! Though its early stages are pain-free, gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss. Studies have also indicated that gum disease may lead to serious health problems, such as stroke, various types of pneumonia, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
- Signs of gum disease may include bleeding gums, loose teeth, gums that appear to be red and inflamed, discomfort, pus, persistent bad breath, and new spacing between teeth caused by bone loss. Thankfully, good oral hygiene, a balanced diet, and regular visits to the dentist will greatly reduce your risk of developing gum disease.
- A deep cleaning for a patient with periodontal disease consists of numbing the area, which allows the hygienist to complete a deep cleaning to remove any plaque/tartar that is buried beneath the gums
What to expect
The deep cleaning will be performed in two separate visits approximately 1 hr long. The patient can expect to be numb in the procedure area and once complete, numb for a few hours after. A soft diet is recommended and avoid any hot liquids until the numbing wears off. After both procedures are complete a maintenance appointment will be set 3 months after to evaluate healing.
Oral exam and Cancer Screening
Oral exam
During a dental examination, not only are the teeth assessed for possible cavities, but the gums are also assessed for health and risk of gum disease.
Oral Cancer Screening
Oral cancer can be incredibly dangerous. That is why it is so important that you are screened annually by a dental professional and if you notice any abnormalities in the tongue, gums, mouth, or throat. When oral cancer is caught early, treatment tends to be incredibly effective. Contact us to schedule an exam as soon as you come across anything irregular.
Routine X-rays
X-rays are an important diagnostic tool that helps dentists detect problems in their earliest stages. For example, cavities often don’t cause symptoms until they’re quite large. That’s why it’s important to have routine x-rays taken so that any problems can be caught in the early stage and our team can treat them accordingly.
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Fluoride
Every patient, no matter the age, can benefit from a fluoride treatment. Fluoride treatments protect your enamel, provide your teeth with minerals, and prevent cavities.
We can also offer an at-home prescription strength fluoride toothpaste for both children and adults in cases where extensive decay, tooth restorations, and gum recession is present.
Sealants
Dental sealants are a tooth-colored material that is applied to the chewing surfaces of teeth that reduces the risk of decay in both primary and permanent teeth. The application of sealants is quick and pain free! The sealant material is applied into the deepest microscopic grooves of the tooth where toothbrush bristles do not reach, and light cured. They do not interfere with flossing or brushing and recommended for children and adults.
What to expect:
The procedure takes approx. 10 minutes after the cleaning is complete and the patient will be able to eat and drink immediately following
Nightguards
Grinding/clenching, also known as Bruxism, is very common and can cause damage and pain to teeth. Customized guards are recommended to be used on a long-term basis to prevent damage to teeth and ligaments, damage to the jaw joint, and help to stabilize the bite.
Mouthguards
An acrylic mouthguard can be custom-made to minimize damage of tooth surfaces during athletic competition. A custom mouthguard fitted by your dentist is the highest quality and does the best job protecting your teeth and mouth.