Unfortunately, the majority of Americans have had a cavity by the time they are 18, and many Americans currently have gum disease.
Dental health is closely connected to your overall health, as well as your confidence and comfort. What’s the lowest-cost way of getting great dental health? Preventing dental problems from developing in the first place!
We provide regular checkups and cleanings, dental education, and preventive services in order to help you avoid costly and painful problems from developing later.
Preventive Dentistry Services
Your first line of defense against dental pain and high dental costs is preventive care, which includes:
- Professional Cleaning: Our dental hygienists are well-practiced with the latest teeth cleaning techniques and tools. They can prevent bacteria and tartar from building up on your teeth, keep your gums healthy, and leave your teeth feeling smooth and flawless.
- Scanning Technology: We use digital x-rays, three-dimensional scans, and tiny oral cameras to create detailed, information-rich records of your teeth, gums, and jawbones. We can see tiny, hidden features and compare them over time to catch any changes.
- Checkups: A professional examination after your dental cleaning can take just a few minutes with the doctor. The dentist will assess your teeth, gums, and scans with an trained eye to catch any developing problems before they become worse.
Any time we see developing health issues, we will advise you on proper care to make sure those do not develop into more serious conditions. Preventing other dental issues saves you pain, money, and frustration.
Dental Health Education
Of equal importance to regular checkups and cleanings is what you do for your teeth at home. We’ll help you and encourage you to take care of your own oral health.
If you brush just twice a day for two minutes per session and floss once per day, you’ll greatly increase your chances of having a great dental checkup each time you visit us.
During your appointment, we will talk to you about your hygiene routines and make suggestions for improvements that can boost your health.
Let us know if you need any resources that will help you or your family to have better at-home dental health habits. If you feel embarrassed that you’re not doing enough, it’s okay! It’s never too late to build a new habit, and we have lots of experience helping patients just like you.
How Often Should I see the Dentist to Prevent Cavities?
The American Dental Association guidelines recommend preventative dental care every six months. These visits include a visual and manual evaluation of all teeth and gums. You may also have dental x-rays performed at least once per year depending on your current needs. After your checkup is complete, you’ll undergo a routine cleaning in which we use a special instrument and fluoride toothpaste to clean and polish your teeth. If your checkup has revealed problems like cavities, gingivitis, or gum disease, we’ll discuss how we can address the issue as quickly as possible.
Six-month recall visits are usually quick and painless. The point of this scheduling timeline is to help you avoid dental conditions that cause pain and stress!
If I Need a Deep Cleaning for Gum Disease Now, Will I Always Need Them?
It’s commonly believed that deep dental cleanings are mandatory. Once you have been diagnosed with gum disease in which gum recession has occurred, you’ll always need deep cleanings. This isn’t the case for every person!
The intent of deep cleanings is to stop gum disease from progressing. If your gums are pulling away from your teeth, harmful bacteria can accumulate in the pockets. Your deep cleaning, which is called scaling and root planing, focuses on carefully removing plaque and debris from the pockets and then treating the roots in a way that encourages the gums to reattach naturally over time.
Once you’ve had your deep cleaning, you are better able to manage gum health at home between visits. Provided that you brush twice a day, floss daily, and use any special oral rinses or other products recommended to you by your dentist, there is a good chance that you can avoid the need for future deep cleanings. You may resume your normal preventive cleanings at your next visit.
I Don’t Notice Symptoms of Gum Disease. Why Do I Need Treatment?
Dental problems don’t typically make themselves known right away. This is another reason for maintaining those six-month recall visits! It’s advantageous for your dentist to spot a problem like tooth decay or gum disease before you develop symptoms. In this scenario, we have the best opportunity to address the condition using more conservative methods.
Just because you don’t have symptoms like puffy gums or pain around a tooth or teeth doesn’t mean that gum disease is not present and isn’t causing damage. The most innocuous form of gum disease, gingivitis, often occurs without any signs at all or with very subtle signs, like a little blood in the sink when you brush your teeth. Gingivitis may cause you to have persistent bad breath even after you brush and floss. If your gums have been more significantly affected by infection and inflammation, you might notice that they are pulling away from a tooth or teeth. This may look like a tooth appearing longer than it used to.
Gum disease is a progressive infection that can cause enough damage below the surface to result in tooth loss at some point. Preventive exams and cleanings are the best way to avoid this. Next-level care, involving a deep cleaning, can halt the process that has begun.
Get Your Preventative Dentistry Treatment Started With an Appointment for a Cleaning and Exam
We enjoy helping our patients feel more in control of their dental health. We want you to be confident that you can maintain great oral health. Please make an appointment today to get a professional cleaning and other preventive dentistry services. Contact us today at 425-357-6400 to get a consultation.