Dental Hygiene

Dental Hygiene - The foundation of your dental health!

Dental hygiene involves the professional removal of plaque and calculus that accumulates on your teeth above and below the gum line, followed up by a schedule of effective home care. Hygiene visits are scheduled based on the rate at which calculus accumulates on your teeth, and whether you exhibit signs of gingivitis or periodontal disease.

At your initial dental hygiene visit your comprehensive evaluation will include:

• charting of the conditions that affect the support of your teeth
• study of dental radiographs
• removal of calculus
• polishing of teeth
• fluoride as indicated
• assessment of overall oral health including dietary habits as related to your teeth
• oral hygiene instructions and demonstration of proper brushing techniques

If your oral health is good, it will be suggested that you return every 6 months to maintain it. If there is evidence of periodontal disease, a regimen of active therapy will be suggested to arrest the disease and encourage healing. Smile Design has an excellent oral hygiene program which offers customized care for your particular needs.

Benefits Of Regular Dental Cleanings:

• To prevent gum disease 
  Gum (periodontal) disease is a bacterial infection caused by plaque – the sticky, colorless, bacteria-filled film that adheres to your teeth. If bacteria are not removed and the inflammation continues, the gum tissues can be destroyed and more advanced stages of gum disease may follow.
• To keep your teeth 
  As gum disease advances, the pockets grow deeper, and plaque moves further down the tooth root, destroying supporting bone. The affected teeth may loosen and eventually fall out. Since gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, regular dental exams and cleanings, as well as brushing and flossing twice a day, is vital to keeping your teeth.
• To have a brighter, whiter smile 
  Personal habits – such as tobacco use or drinking coffee, tea and other beverages – can cause tooth staining. In addition to removing plaque and tartar during your cleaning, your hygienist will polish your teeth to a beautiful shine. The result? A whiter and brighter smile!
• To prevent bad breath 
  Persistent bad breath (halitosis) has oral causes such as poor oral hygiene, periodontal disease, a coating on the surface of the tongue, food stuck between teeth, unclean dentures, oral carcinomas or throat infections. Good oral hygiene is essential in preventing many of these conditions and can, in turn, prevent bad breath. Regular checkups and cleanings are the best way to make sure that you are maintaining good oral hygiene.
• To help maintain overall health
  There is mounting evidence of a connection between a person’s oral and overall health. Recent studies have linked heart attacks and strokes to gum disease. Although no causal relationships have been discovered, a dental cleaning every six months to keep your teeth and gums healthy could possibly reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.
• To make the most of your dental benefits 
  Most dental insurance plans have low or no copayments/coinsurance for routine preventive care such as dental cleanings and checkups every six months. If you take advantage of your benefits, you’ll save money in the long run by avoiding more costly dental procedures that can result from poor oral hygiene