Dental Cleaning
Preventing gum disease and cavities starts with regular dental cleaning visits, where disease-causing bacteria (in the form of plaque and tartar) is removed from your teeth. Our number one goal is disease prevention to keep your smile healthy and looking great!
However, if gum disease has already taken hold and caused periodontitis, we’ve got you covered. Not only do we offer preventive cleaning services, but therapeutic care as well – called scaling and root planing (deep cleaning). This gently removes disease-causing bacteria below the gum line, on the root surfaces of your teeth, which improves or resolves gum inflammation and controls the bone loss around affected teeth that is characteristic of periodontitis. We also offer a state of the art medicine, Arestin® , that will kill this bacteria.
Along with regular periodontal maintenance care (and great brushing and flossing at home), treating periodontal disease means you keep the teeth you have by staying on top of this chronic disease.
What Happens During Dental Cleaning Visits?
There are two parts to a regular dental cleaning visit: the oral examination and the cleaning.
Dental Exam
During the examination, the dentist will check for: tooth decay/cavities, plaque and tartar, gum disease, and cancer indicators.
Oral Cancer Screening
Your dentist is the best and most logical health provider to check for lumps, bumps, and spots that shouldn’t be there in your mouth — it might just save your life! This important service is something we provide to all our patients as a part of your regular exams with the doctor.
We believe in early detection for early treatment and best outcomes. If your dentist doesn’t check, who will?
Plaque and Tartar
Plaque on the teeth is nothing more than a clear, sticky layer of bacterial colonies. If the dental plaque is not removed, it will become hard and turn into tartar. Only a dentist or dental hygienist can remove tartar from the teeth because tartar doesn’t respond to brushing and flossing. Once the tartar builds up on the teeth, the patient becomes susceptible to a variety of oral diseases.
Gum Disease
Healthy gums provide an important foundation for healthy teeth. To check gum health, a special tool is used to measure how deep the space is between your gums and teeth. Gum disease can lead to deeper spaces called periodontal pockets, and if untreated, the gum pocket can lead to tooth loss. Identifying gum disease early can make a big difference in preventing the development of more serious dental issues.
The Teeth Cleaning
Brushing and flossing is absolutely essential for good oral hygiene, but once tartar develops on the teeth, it’s impossible to remove it at home. Therefore, a routine professional cleaning is vital to your oral health. During the cleaning, the dentist or dental hygienist will remove the tartar and plaque by “scaling” the teeth using a special instrument. After the tartar and plaque have been removed, a gritty toothpaste is used to remove any surface stains. Lastly, the dental professional will floss the teeth to make sure all areas between the teeth are clean.
Fluoride Treatment
Acids – produced by bacteria in your mouth and from your foods and drinks – leach important minerals from the enamel on your teeth, weakening them and leading to cavities over time. Fluoride (in the water you drink, some foods, toothpaste, rinses, and in professional fluoride treatments) counteracts that mineral loss and actually strengthens your teeth.
At Parkview, our fluoride treatment of choice is fluoride varnish – it is painted on teeth quickly, where it is readily absorbed, stays in place (so you don’t swallow much of it), and really gives you the best fluoride bang for your buck. Fluoride isn’t just for kids! If you are an adult who has a dry mouth, takes multiple medications daily, has had a lot of dental work in the past, or is prone to cavities, fluoride treatments may help you protect your teeth.
Has it been six months or more since your last dental cleaning? Make an appointment today!
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