Preventive Care

Preventive care is just more than brushing your teeth, flossing and eating right. Booking an appointment with your dentist office for a regular cleaning is essential for your oral health and for your medical health as well! Did you know that untreated gum conditions can lead to a heart attack or a stroke?

What to Expect?

One of the first things we do is take x-rays, many people ask is this is necessary and the answer is yes. X-rays help us detect decay, tumors, cysts and bone loss, as well as tooth and root positions. The digital image also can be magnified 300 times its normal size to enhance diagnosis.
Your hygienist does several procedures when you get your teeth cleaned. She usually starts by removing tater and plaque from your teeth. Tater is hardened plaque that has firmly attached to the tooth surface, calculus forms above and below the gum line. Plaque is a sticky, almost invisible film that forms on your teeth. It’s a growing colony of living bacteria, food debris and saliva. If not periodically removed, the bacteria produce toxins that infect and inflame the gums – the warning signs of periodontal disease. She will also polishes your teeth which removes stains and plaque that are not eliminated during tooth brushing.
Another important part of preventive care is having a number of quick exams and evaluations preformed when you get your teeth cleaned. Your hygienist and dentist will check your gums and the bone around your teeth for any signs of periodontal disease, tooth decay, check your existing restoration and evaluate your bite for occlusion problems. We also will preforms an oral cancer screening, where we will examine your lips, tongue, throat, tissues and gums, and look for any signs of oral cancer.
At the end of each visit you will receive home instruction. We want you to leave with a clear understanding of what you need to do at home to keep your teeth and gums healthy. You will also receive a bag of complimentary dental products to assist you.

What are the benefits?

Here are just a few of the great benefits of preventative dental care.

Many health conditions show their earliest symptoms in your mouth. Conditions like diabetes, oral cancer, and even osteoporosis can be caught by your dentist before they become serious.
Left untreated, gum disease can actually cause serious infections in other parts of your body. Because the culprit behind gum disease is bacteria, you can avoid serious health problems down the line. If you’re pregnant, you not only risk your own health, but that of your unborn child as well.
Choosing regular checkups may actually help you save money in the long run. Having your dentist identify and resolve simple problems like dental cavities right away may mean you don’t require more serious procedures like root canals or extractions later in life.