Dental Hygiene
The world looks brighter from behind a smile
Dental Cleanings
Dentists refer to a routine cleaning appointment as a dental prophylaxis, or prophy. Its most significant functions are in the prevention of dental disease and the promotion of patient education. It is the most important and valuable visit a patient may ever make to the dentist.
We encourage our patients to have their mouth examined on a regular basis. Our focus is on the entire mouth, not just a patient’s teeth. By seeing the dentist on a routine basis, cavities are diagnosed in their infancy stage and can be restored easily. When left untreated for a prolonged length of time, the need for more extensive and costly treatment may be necessary. It is very important to have all plaque and tartar removed routinely to help prevent perio disease, which could potentially cause a loss of teeth. We also recommend that patients who smoke, use tobacco, or have any suspicious lesions to take advantage of the new, painless, oral cancer test to ensure a completely healthy mouth.
Keep It Up!
The Typical Dental Cleaning Should Include
- Personal oral hygiene evaluation, home care review, and recommendations to help you improve your technique
- Tooth brushing and flossing instructions
- Supra gingival (above the gums) scaling to remove plaque and tartar from all visible tooth structures
- Debridement of tartar beneath the gums
- Topical fluoride treatment
- Teeth polishing
- Nutrition assessment, if needed
- Periodontal charting
- Visual oral cancer screening
- Oral cancer test, if needed
- Treatment planning of any necessary dental restorations
Children
Regular dental cleanings are especially important for children to establish good oral hygiene practice and to appreciate the importance of dental health. Painless dental cleaning appointments will help create self-esteem in children and let them get acquainted with our staff. Being familiar with our office lessens anxiety, should dental restorative care become necessary in the future. The regular application of topical fluoride, early detection of bite problems, and an evaluation for pit and fissure sealants are a very important part of preventive dental health.