Oral health is one of the most important, and often overlooked, aspects of your overall health. The mouth can show signs of infection or disease before the other parts of the body. Great advances have been made in oral health treatments and many people are able to keep their natural teeth their entire lives. However, millions of people don’t visit a dentist regularly and miss the opportunity to identify and prevent oral health issues.
The keys to oral health have not changed: good oral hygiene requires brushing your teeth twice a day, cleaning between your teeth daily, replacing your toothbrush regularly, and eating a healthy diet. Another component to good long term oral health is regular dentist visits for exams and cleanings. Many people think they only need to visit the dentist when something is wrong, but the truth is regular visits help prevent problems from ever developing.
Prevention is key to sustaining dental health as well as your overall health. Visiting your dental office for regular cleanings (prophylaxis) is necessary to ensure good oral health including lowered risk of gum disease and decay.
Your Dental Hygienist is a licensed professional trained in your periodontal health. During a cleaning they will perform an oral cancer screening, assess your gum health, and remove plaque and harder deposit known as calculus from above and below the gumline with different instruments and floss. Your Dental Hygienist will also recommend any improvements in your oral hygiene that can be made. Other important preventative measures include the placements of sealants on the posterior teeth and fluoride treatments to prevent decay.
Dental Hygienists also treat Periodontal Disease where there has been destruction of the tissues supporting the teeth. The need for this treatment is assessed by many things during Dental Hygiene assessment. Depending on the severity of the disease it may also be recommended for you to see a specialist.
Prophylaxis
Professional cleanings will remove the buildup of plaque and calculus. Then, your teeth are polished nicely. If you need it, fluoride will be applied to your teeth. We will also preserve any teeth that you have had restored.
Professional cleanings also give our dentists a chance to really look at your teeth. We will do a thorough examination to make sure that you don’t have any other problems that need to be addressed. We are hoping to catch any little problems before they become bigger ones!
Contact us today to schedule an appointment for an oral assessment and prophylaxis and prevent any future health issues.