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Dental Hygiene/Periodontal Health
In addition to the meticulous cleaning, polishing, and examination of your teeth, we also take the time to help our patients develop proper oral hygiene habits at home. We will evaluate your hygiene techniques and make adjustments to your routine where needed. Our doctors and hygienists will also make suggestions for preventative measures such as dental sealants or nightguards to protect against bruxism & TMJ.
If we feel that you are suffering from gingivitis or more severe gum disease, we may recommend a root scaling or planing. These measures can be instrumental in preventing bone loss and helping you to keep your natural teeth.
Oral Cancer Screenings
During a dental exam, the doctor will check your neck and oral tissues for lumps, red or white patches or recurring sore areas. He will also shine a special light in your mouth that allows him to see under your gums and other tissues to make sure there are no abnormalities. This diagnostic test is not painful, nor do you have to swish with something beforehand...it is only a special light.
Screening for early changes in the oral tissue can help detect cancer at a stage when it can be more successfully treated.
Smoking, especially combined with heavy alcohol consumption (30 drinks a week or more), is the primary risk factor for oral cancer. In fact, this combination is estimated to be the most likely trigger in about 75 percent of oral cancers diagnosed in this country.
They have also recently correlated HPV with oral cancer. This new information increases risk for individuals who have never smoked, but have been exposed to the HPV virus. So basically, if you are, or have ever been, sexually active, your oral cancer risk is higher & you should be tested annually. Other lifestyle and environmental factors also may increase your risk of developing oral cancer.
Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure in which the periodontist removes plaque and tartar from below the gum line. Root surfaces are cleaned and smoothed with specially designed instruments. It is important to remove the plaque and tartar from the pockets, because aside from the bacterial toxins that irritate the gums, plaque and the rough surfaces of tartar make it easier for bacteria to gain a foothold.
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