Preventative Dental Services
Maintain Your Smile!
The happy, healthy mouth feeling you get after a good teeth cleaning is invaluable. Visiting a dental professional at least twice a year is an important part of your oral hygiene regimen. Professional teeth cleaning removes the tartar you just can’t get to at home, and regular exams will ensure your teeth and mouth are in good health.
While proper home care is the first step in maintaining oral health, it is essential to have professional cleanings every six months, or more frequently depending on the need. These visits, referred to as “dental prophylaxis”, are generally performed by a board certified dental hygienist whose training specializes in keeping patients maintained in optimum oral health. A dental hygienist uses special instruments to remove plaque and calculus (tartar) from those hard to reach areas and reinforces proper preventive home care techniques. These visits should be maintained at least every six months to insure that Periodontal health (that of the gums) is maintained. During these visits, Dr. Neal also performs an exam of the entire mouth to insure that oral health is properly maintained
Commonly practiced procedures usually include teeth cleanings, deep scale cleanings, and preventative exams to look for tooth decay and gum disease so that they can be diagnosed before they advance to a worsened state.
Professional dental cleanings (dental prophylaxis) are usually performed by Registered Dental Hygienists. Your cleaning appointment will include a dental exam and the following:
- Removal of calculus (tartar): Calculus is hardened plaque that has been left on the tooth for some time and is now firmly attached to the tooth surface. Calculus forms above and below the gum line and can only be removed with special dental instruments.
- Removal of plaque: Plaque is a sticky, almost invisible film that forms on the teeth. It is a growing colony of living bacteria, food debris, and saliva. The bacteria produce toxins (poisons) that inflame the gums. This inflammation is the start of periodontal disease!
- Teeth polishing: Remove stain and plaque that is not otherwise removed during tooth brushing and scaling.