Dental Hygiene/Periodontal Health
While at our office, we make sure that you receive the highest level of service and ensure that our dental work is of the highest quality. To ensure that you maintain great oral health, this level of quality needs to extend into your personal oral hygiene routine. We can help you establish a dental hygiene routine that will keep your teeth healthy and white. If you have any questions about your current hygiene plan please ask us. Millions of americans have periodontal disease and do not know it. It is estimated that 75% of adults have periodontal disease, the number one cause of adult tooth loss. This disease is treatable but not curable and you will have this disease for the rest of your life. Controlling this condition begins with a thorough diagnosis. We examine by perio probing the pocket depths of the space between your teeth and gums. A probe reading of more tha 3mm is a sign of periodontal disease. The deeper the pockets, the greater the spread of periodontal disease.
Scaling and Root Planing referred to a deep cleaning is to eliminate the source of periodontal infection by removing the plaque, tartar, and bacterial toxins from the root surfaces of the teeth below the gum line.
Periodontal Maintenance cleanings are performed at least every 90 days to prevent further bone loss and subsequent tooth loss. Periodontal disease can reactivate as periodontal bacterial colonies begin to rebuild every 50-75 days. If you are dignosed with periodontal disease, you will be scheduled for ongoing perio maintenance cleanings.
Laser Bacterial Reduction is an effecdtive treatment that helps us control the infection in you mouth. Laser used together with scaling and root planing significantly reduces the depth of the infected pockets and prevent the progression of the disease. The laser decontamination is painless and normally takes 5-10 minutes. There are 3 main reasons for laser decontamination during perio maintenance appointments:
* Kills periodontal disease bacteria and stops their infections. In the past, hygienists have been limited to removing hard and soft deposits within the periodontal pocket only. We now know that bacteria migrate into the underlying tissues and cannot be reached with traditional cleaning only. The laser light can penetrate these tissues and thermally dehydrate the biofilms. Dehydration is lethal to bacteria, thus greatly reducing the potential for infection and loss of attachment of the gums to the teeth.
* Prevents cross contamination of infections in one area of your mouth to other areas. Decontaminiation minimizes the change that we may inadvertently pick up bacterial infection in one area of your mouth and move it to others.
* Reduces or eliminates bacteremia (oral pathogens released during bleeding into bloodstream). Latest research shows that oral pathogens that have now been linking to a number of other disease such as cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, low weight babies, diabetes, and Alzheimers are eliminated by lasers.
Oral cancer screenings
Oral cancer screenings are a very important part of the dental visit for the patient. With the advances in modern technology, we are now able to pinpoint the start of a potential problem much earlier in its evolution. The ability to do so is extremely important in being able to treat any issues prior to them becoming a major irreversible problem.
The oral cancer screening is often completed with an ultraviolet light or similar device that allows us to view issues that can't always be detected by the human eye under normal conditions.
Certain lifestyle choices can have a great impact on the health of tissues and your overall health in the mouth. If you are a smoker or heavy drinker, make sure to get regular screenings when you visit our dentist.