Protect and Maintain a Healthy Smile!
While dental emergencies can strike anyone, anytime, our patients who commit to regular preventive care appointments usually experience fewer problems over time. Professional cleanings with a registered dental hygienist allow us to take a proactive approach to your dental health, addressing issues while they are small and potentially avoiding issues altogether. Despite your best efforts, deposits of mineralized plaque, known as tartar, adhere to areas of the teeth. These deposits create a nice home for millions of harmful bacteria. Left unchecked, they flood toxins into the gums resulting in devastating chronic problems, even resulting in the loss of teeth.
When tartar is removed at your professional hygiene appointment, it doesn’t have the opportunity to produce irreversible damage. We use professional instruments and prescription strength polishing paste that gently buffs away stain and plaque, leaving your teeth ultra-smooth and shiny. Since discoloration settles into the enamel of your teeth over time, this helps slow yellowing while maintaining a glassy surface for better cleaning.
Oral Cancer Screening:
At every hygiene visit, we examine all the tissues of your mouth including gums, cheeks, lips, tongue, and jaw. Many patients are surprised at the large amount of surface area that we examine during an oral exam. It is just as important to have regular soft tissue screenings as it is to have a professional dental cleaning.
Oral cancer can afflict anyone although tobacco users put themselves at significantly higher risk than non-users. Chewing tobacco has up to 3,000 different chemicals, including the same compounds used in pesticides and embalming fluid. Cellular changes below the surface aren't always detectable until they've advanced to a critical stage.
Early detection and treatment of oral cancer can significantly increase your chances of a quick and complete recovery. The American Cancer Society reports that about 7,000 deaths result from oral cancer out of 30,000 cases diagnosed annually. If we suspect any unusual changes in your mouth tissue, we may suggest a biopsy and microscopic analysis by a qualified lab.
Many other non-cancerous changes can occur in your mouth's tissue, from oral warts to autoimmune lesions. Your doctor draws on his background in oral pathology to evaluate any abnormalities and determine if they should be monitored or removed.
We understand tobacco holds strong addictive powers over even the most health-conscious people. If you're determined to quit, we want to support you in your efforts. Talk to your hygienist or doctor about the strategies and resources we have available so you can kick the habit.
Homecare:
Maintaining a healthy smile depends on what happens between your visits with us. Good home care habits can be established by anyone committed to carving out a few minutes each day. Like regular exercise, consistency is the key to building a healthy habit. Brushing twice a day for at least two minutes and flossing once a day are the standard for ideal home care.
With so many products on the market today, it can be confusing to sort it out alone. Your hygienist can help you narrow down the endless options and form a plan with the hygiene tools that fit you and your dental needs. Will an electric toothbrush help you keep your mouth cleaner between professional visits? Would a prescription toothpaste help reduce plaque based on your unique chemistry? Many factors that fit into a plan to maximize the time and effort you put into keeping your smile healthy.
Some patients considered high-risk for dental problems benefit from even more individualized routines. Simple, inexpensive substitutions can transform the environment of your mouth and dramatically reduce disease activity. For example, Xylitol is a naturally-derived sweetener that can minimize cavities in children and adults when used in the right dosages.
