Preventive Oral Disease Prevention

Fluoride Treatments

You know your toothpaste contains fluoride (at least it should, unless you’re using a special polish), but we can provide a strong dose of fluoride to build the strength of your teeth. The treatment only takes a few minutes but provides important fluoride protection. We may also suggest a daily fluoride rinse for use at home in addition to your fluoride toothpaste.

Prophylaxis

Prophylaxis is our medical term for a good teeth cleaning and polishing. In Greek, the word means “advance guard,” so prophylaxis indicates the preventive cleaning of plaque to prevent disease.

Oral Hygiene Maintenance

We will explain and demonstrate how to properly brush and floss your teeth, care for your gums, and generally take care of your mouth. We might suggest you change your brush, toothpaste, floss, or mouthwash for better effectiveness. It’s easy to take care of your teeth and takes just a little time in the morning and evening.

Oral DNA Testing

It is an exciting time we live in! Information and technological breakthroughs have helped us, the dental community, to rethink how we treat patients who struggle with periodontal disease. With just a 30 second swish saliva sample that we then send off to laboratories for testing, we can now prescribe the exact antibiotics specific for the bacteria found in active periodontal pockets! Bacteria will always be present in the oral environment, but now we have some power over which ones aren’t invited! With the same saliva sample we can determine if our patients are predisposed to genetically having periodontal issues. This information takes the mystery out of why some individuals struggle with recurring episodes and allows us to choose the best hygiene protocols.

Laser

One of the most effective tools our hygiene team has incorporated is the use of soft tissue diode laser! During a 2-4 minute Laser Bacterial Reduction, the bacterial count can be reduced from “millions” of bacteria to “hundreds”. This allows for quick profound healing of inflammation! It also reduces the amount of bacteria that can enter the blood stream and travel to the brain, heart, liver, etc. The laser is also used during scaling and root planning treatment of periodontal disease. This is a noninvasive curettage that is beneficial in helping to heal the diseased tissue and promote healing.

Dental Caries

Cavities are a common dental problem, but this early form of tooth decay may be prevented if you brush your teeth and floss properly every day. And that’s not all. Certain factors can increase your risk for developing tooth decay. Not brushing and flossing your teeth to remove plaque is a top risk factor, but keep these other in mind:Specific foods and drinks. Foods that cling to your teeth are the most likely to promote teeth decay. All sugars and most cooked starchy foods are major plaque promoters, including milk, honey, raisins, hard candy, dry cereal and bread. Some diets suggest eating several small meals each day to help lose weight or maintain weight loss. But remember that if you snack frequently, no matter what type of food, the acid in the food has more time to damage your teeth. Here’s another tip: Brushing your teeth after eating not only removes plaque, it can also help you stick to your diet by making your mouth feel cleaner so you’ll be less likely to snack.