Solid preventive care is the foundation for your oral and overall health. Good at-home hygiene habits, in combination with professional cleanings, can keep your smile free from decay and other oral health issues like gum disease. Regular exams allow our dentists in Bonney Lake to monitor your oral health so you can address any minor concerns before they become larger, more costly, and more invasive issues. Here at Dental Health Group we offer quality preventative dental care to any member of your family!
We get it, it can be a bit too easy to put off your bi-annual dental exam and we don't blame you, life gets busy! But remember, skipping your appointments can cost even more time and money in the future. Coming in twice a year allows us to catch small issues before they become time-consuming, expensive problems. Regular check-ups only take about an hour and we assure you that we will make it a comfortable process. Let's keep that smile of yours healthy with our excellent preventive services.
Regular teeth cleanings and hygiene appointments are the foundation of preventive dental care. During your cleaning, we will thoroughly cleanse your teeth and gums, removing any plaque or debris from every surface in your mouth. You’ll even be able to reverse minor stains to keep your smile bright and beautiful. We recommend scheduling routine cleanings and exams every six months for most patients.
However, good oral hygiene shouldn’t stop when you leave our office. Keeping up with your at-home brushing and flossing routine is equally as important as attending professional cleanings, and is the best way to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Use a fluoride-rich toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes at a time; and don’t forget to floss! Flossing at least once every day, ideally before going to bed, helps to get rid of food particles, plaque, and bacteria that can’t be removed with brushing alone.
Digital x-rays are safe, quick, and comfortable. Using the latest technology, we can create crisp, high-resolution images of your mouth’s structure, so we can make accurate diagnoses and treatment plans. Digital x-rays use only a fraction of the radiation as traditional film x-rays, so you can rest easy. Most patients receive one or two full sets of x-rays every year, but we may recommend additional imaging in the case of a dental emergency, or if we find an oral health issue that we need to investigate further.
Fluoride treatments are one of the best ways to keep dental decay at bay. A simple, non-invasive procedure, fluoride treatments help to keep your enamel strong. After your cleaning, we’ll apply a fluoride-rich varnish or gel; we may ask you to refrain from eating or drinking anything for 30 minutes or so following your visit. Fluoride helps kickstart a process called “remineralization,” which restores essential minerals like calcium and phosphates to your teeth, keeping your enamel hard and resistant to acids, like those that cause tooth decay.
Dental sealants are a great way for patients to protect their teeth from decay. Dental sealants are often recommended for children, but can still be a great option for patients of all ages. Plus, dental sealants can provide protection for your teeth for years after being applied.
Applying dental sealants is a quick, non-invasive procedure that utilizes a dental resin that is applied to the molars. The uneven surface of molars, which are located in the rear of the mouth, are filled with grooves where plaque and bacteria can flourish. After application, the resin is cured with a UV light, causing it to harden into a powerful barrier between your teeth and the foods, drinks, acid, and bacteria that lead to decay.
When left untreated, gum disease can have serious effects on your oral and overall health. Gum recession, bone loss, and even tooth loss can occur without proper treatment, so scheduling regular checkups for treatment is essential. Our team can keep gum disease from compromising your smile through a variety of periodontal treatments, such as perio protect trays, and deep cleanings (also known as scaling and root planing. If your gums are inflamed or bleed easily, if you have persistent bad breath, sensitive teeth, or notice any changes in your bite, get in touch with us today. We'll schedule a consultation to get your smile back on a healthy path.
Dental emergencies can be painful, stressful experiences, but we're here to help. If you're experiencing a dental emergency, the first thing to do is take a deep breath and keep calm. Then, give us a call to find out if you need immediate care. Dental emergencies can be anything from a knocked-out tooth or dental work to a persistent toothache. If you're unsure if what you're experiencing qualifies as a dental emergency, it's better to be safe than sorry, so get in touch with us right away so you can get the care you need when you need it.
Dental anxiety doesn't have to stop you from getting the care you need for your smile. We're happy to offer sedation options, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy painless, stress-free dental care, no matter the complexity of your treatment. If you're interested in our sedation options, get in touch with us today, and we'll find out what option will work best for you.
While the thought of oral surgery and periodontal care may seem daunting, laser dentistry has revolutionized the way in which these procedures are performed. Our soft-tissue laser utilizes a highly-focused beam of light to perform a wide variety of treatments and can be used in place of more invasive methods for more comfort and faster recoveries. Get in touch with us today to find out laser dentistry can benefit you!
Oral cancer screenings are a part of every preventive visit, and are a quick way to fortify your peace of mind. Through consistent exams, we can catch oral cancer early on, which gives us a better chance at treating it before it spreads. A routine oral cancer screening can even save your life!
Your dentist will examine your gums, tongue, and the rest of the soft tissues in your mouth, keeping an eye out for lesions and other abnormalities like lumps and discolorations. If there is anything that concerns us, we may recommend getting a biopsy, which will be analyzed by a specialist to determine the cause of the abnormality. Regular oral cancer screenings allow us to identify any potential problems before they become major issues.
Are you constantly battling with jaw pain, headaches, or even difficulty in chewing? These are common symptoms of a disorder known as TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) or TMD (Temporomandibular Disorder).
Proper oral hygiene is the most effective way to keep periodontal disease at bay. This involves brushing your teeth twice daily for at least two minutes each session. You should also rinse your mouth with fluoride mouthwash right after brushing and flossing your teeth.
Aside from maintaining proper oral hygiene, you should also be careful with what you eat. A diet of sugary and starchy foods only increases your risk of getting periodontal disease. Instead, you’ll want to embrace a diet of whole foods containing essential vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals promote gum health, thus preventing periodontal disease.
You’ll also want to steer clear of tobacco if you want to safeguard your gum health. Tobacco reduces the oxygen supply to the blood. This weakens the immune system, making the gum more prone to bacterial infection. Reducing or quitting tobacco goes a long way toward protecting your gums from infection and gum disease.
Here at Dental Health Group, we offer Perio-Protect, which is a great minimally invasive and highly effective way to prevent and treat gum disease. Contact our office today for more information.
Dentists use x-rays to diagnose dental conditions and complications. The x-rays penetrate the soft tissue, allowing dentists to get a clear view of your internal oral structures. As such, they reveal objects that would otherwise be invisible to the eye. These include the tooth’s roots, infections, internal scarring, cysts, tumors, and dental decay.
Dentists will then use information from the x-rays to create a treatment plan that addresses your dental complication. x-rays allow dentists to identify areas of your teeth that need dental work. They’re especially useful for dental decay since dentists can determine the extent of the decay and take steps to prevent it from spreading.
Aside from diagnosing dental complications, dentists can also use x-rays to monitor your dental health. x-rays are a staple for dental checkups, allowing dentists to get a complete picture of your oral health. They can track the progression of diseases and determine the best treatments to address them. They can also monitor the effectiveness of treatments and suggest alternatives if ineffective.
As a thumb rule, be sure to visit your dentist every six months or twice yearly. Six months is enough time for you to plan for these checkup appointments. It’s also adequate healing time for dental procedures you might have undergone during or after your last dental visit.
That said, how often patients should visit the dentist for cleaning and checkups, depends on their dental health. Some patients are more predisposed to dental complications like tooth decay and gum disease. Other patients have conditions or habits that compromise their dental health, warranting more frequent visits.
Pregnant women, chronic smokers, and people with diabetes should visit their dentists every three to four months. That way, dentists can identify signs of dental complications early on and address them before they spiral out of control. These appointments also allow dentists to teach patients about how to maintain their oral health despite being at a disadvantage compared to other patients.
