The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends dental visits at least twice per year, but could be recommended every 3-4 months depending on your oral health. Regular exams and professional cleanings can help to ensure optimal oral and overall health.
Professional cleanings go beyond the care you alone can achieve at home. During the appointment your hygienist will meticulously rid the teeth of harmful plaque and tartar build-up. This is important for preventing tooth decay, periodontal disease, and other oral health issues.
Your hygienist will thoroughly examine your mouth and determine if there are any issues with your teeth or gums. They'll also examine your neck and head and perform an oral cancer screening. X-rays can also help detect if there are any issues to worry about, such as bone loss, abscesses, cysts, or other issues affecting your gums or teeth. If any issues are detected, your hygienist will let the doctor know so they can create a treatment plan.
After the exam, you'll have your teeth thoroughly cleaned and polished. Your hygienist may recommend fluoride treatment if you're more susceptible to cavities. Fluoride helps strengthen the enamel on your teeth and combat decay. You'll also receive preventative tips tailored to your needs such as brushing and flossing your teeth after eating, using a certain type of toothbrush or special toothpaste, quitting smoking (if you are a smoker), and limiting certain types of food or drink that may affect your oral health.
A regular/preventative cleaning involves your hygienist eliminating stains, tartar, and plaque from your teeth using special tools and polishing them so they are smooth and sparkly. During a regular tooth cleaning, your hygienist will primarily focus on your teeth and above the gum line. For patients with gum health issues, your dentist may recommend frequent visits (more than twice a year) for teeth cleaning.
If bleeding and inflammation are present, your gums have the early signs of periodontal disease. A gingivitis cleaning removes tartar, plaque and stain and deep tartar below the gum line. This takes more time than a regular cleaning. Gingivitis gums easily bleed when probed because of inflammation. X-rays detect tartar under the gum line at the neck of the tooth, but the bone crests are still intact.
Gums can return to a healthy state with regular cleanings and consistent home care.
Did you know nearly half (42%) of all adults aged 30 years and older have periodontitis while severe periodontitis affects about 8% of adults. Periodontal disease is very treatable; but cannot be fully cured. If you are diagnosed with periodontal disease, we may recommend gum therapy known as scaling and root planing (SRP).
This treatment is a nonsurgical procedure where our dental hygienist or dentist may use a topical or local numbing agent to ensure you are comfortable. During the procedure, we gently remove plaque, bacteria, and tartar that are attached to the root structure and within the deeper periodontal pockets. After the therapy, your hygienist will decontaminate the pockets using a special laser to zap the remaining bacteria. This helps the tissue to stabilize and heal.
The goal of the procedure is to reduce bleeding and inflammation caused by the bacteria and tartar while helping to prevent further bone loss.
After the completion of your gum therapy, you will be scheduled for maintenance cleanings every 3-4 months. These visits will involve thorough professional cleanings and monitoring of your oral health to ensure the disease does not recur and progress further.