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DENTAL HYGIENE

OUR GOAL: Good oral hygiene is essential in keeping healthy teeth and gums. It is also important in maintaining good overall health. We are a "prevention-oriented" practice. At our practice we have a licensed/registered Dental Hygienist that provides wide range of services to help educate, detect, and prevent oral health problems such as cavities, gingivitis, and periodontal disease (gum disease). During your regular professional visits, we will educate and suggest ways to help improve your oral health. For children and adults alike, we will help you learn more about proper care for your teeth and gums by teaching a more effective brushing and flossing technique and giving recommendation about oral health products that meet your specific needs.

REGULAR DENTAL VISITS: Regular professional visits are done every six months or as scheduled by the dentist and dental hygienist based on your specific dental needs. Each procedure is done routinely to provide you the best and quality dental care possible. Each visit comprises of a complete review of your medical/health history, head-and-neck cancer screening, assessment of your bite and TMJ, assessment of your gums and teeth, take diagnostic x-rays, removal of plaque (a film that contains bacteria) and tartar above and below the gum line, removal of extrinsic stains from tobacco, coffee, tea, and red wine, and go over oral hygiene instructions.

ASSESSMENT OF GUMS AND TEETH: Our mission is to detect and prevent oral health problems before they arise. Cavities and periodontal disease (gum disease) are the most common oral health problems in the mouth that is caused by presence of bacteria. At early stages, they do not hurt. But if left untreated, cavities can get larger and infect the nerves of the teeth and cause infection. As for your gums, longterm bleeding and presence of bacteria can destroy the gums and bone around the teeth causing mobility and loss of teeth. Cavities and periodontal disease do irreversible damage to your teeth and gums. Therefore early diagnoses and treatment is needed to remove cavities and stabilize the gums.  These "silent killers" can be detected by the dentist and dental hygienist early; therefore, it is very important to keep your regular dental visits and not miss your appointments.

PERIODONTAL DISEASE AND OVERALL HEALTH: "Don't wait untill it hurts." Periodontal Disease is linked to many health related problems. According to the Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health, periodontal disease play a role in pre-mature, low-birthweight babies, heart disease, and diabetes. Expectant mothers with periodontal disease are seven times more likely to have pre-mature, low-birthweight babies than women who don't have the disease. Also people with periodontal disease have twice the risk of developing heart disease.

Furthermore, diabetics and smokers are prone to periodontal disease. Periodontal disease affect blood sugar levels in diabetics making diabetes more difficult to manage. Tobacco not only increase the risk for cancer but also periodontal disease. According to a study at the Center of Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA, smokers who smoke less than half a pack of cigarrettes per day are almost three times more likely to develop periodontitis than non-smokers. Those who smoke more than a pack and a half per day had almost six times the risk.