Preventive dental care is a vital part of your oral health, as it enables our dentist and his staff to spot problems in the early stages. Our professional dental cleaning goes beyond what your toothbrush can do. We help remove plaque from those hard-to-reach spots and ensure that your teeth are clean and healthy along the gum line.
If you want to protect yourself against tooth decay, gum disease, or other oral diseases, then contact Complete Dentistry for All Ages for an appointment today! Continue reading to see why Dr. Morgan Chambers emphasizes the dental and physical health benefits associated with maintaining a clean and healthy smile.
Preventive Dental Care in Lexington, Kentucky
The last thing you want is to be surprised by a dental emergency straight out of the blue. Early detection is the key to preventing such emergencies, so preventative dental care should be an important routine in your life because dental issues can happen to anyone at any age.
Some common dental disorders include periodontal diseases, cavities, oral cancer and toothaches. Each of these concerns can be extremely painful and may require emergency treatment. It is important to get routine dental cleanings so that you don’t experience any problems with your teeth. Additionally, talk to your dentist about any issues you may have when you regularly visit him for checkups. Preventing issues before they occur is the best way to deal with them when they do happen.
During a routine preventive care visit with Dr. Chambers in her Lexington dental office, our patients can expect a thorough exam and an opportunity to discuss their personal concerns. A routine exam in our dental office can include to following:
- Professional dental cleaning
- Dental x-rays
- Periodontal screening
- Dental caries (cavities) screening
- Occlusal analysis to examine the position of the bite
Teeth Cleaning FAQs
One of the most frequent medical complaints heard by dentists is that their patient has a bad toothache. Most people tend to ignore their teeth until they experience toothaches, and then they seek professional help.
However, you can easily prevent many dental problems. Even if your teeth are healthy, you should still brush and check your teeth periodically. Doing so will help prevent any problems from developing and help keep your smile healthy and beautiful. Read on to learn about how regular and deep dental cleanings can help prevent severe issues.
How long does a dental cleaning take?
Typically a dental cleaning can take between twenty minutes to an hour. Patients should be aware of check-in and wait times, so they should expect to spend at least an hour at the dentist for a dental exam and cleaning to be sure they have time in their schedule for the full appointment.
Is there a difference between deep cleaning and a regular cleaning?
There is a difference between a deep cleaning and a regular cleaning. Regular cleaning is a topical cleaning. During a regular cleaning, your dental hygienist cleans and polish the surface of patients teeth. Patients leave the dentist feeling like their teeth are whiter and shinier. A deep cleaning is a more involved process in which a dental hygienist removes bacteria on the surface of your teeth, but also underneath of your gums.
Does a deep cleaning require anesthesia?
In most deep dental cleaning cases, we will use anesthetic to numb the patients’ mouth and keep them comfortable throughout their appointment. During a deep dental cleaning your dentist cleans beneath the gums and all around your mouth, scrubbing at the surfaces to remove any bacteria.
This can be uncomfortable for patients, which is why anesthetic is beneficial to diminish any pain during the procedure.
Is a deep dental cleaning painful?
A deep dental cleaning can be uncomfortable and slightly painful sometimes. In most cases dentists use an anesthetic to numb your mouth and gums to reduce pain during the cleaning process. After a deep cleaning appointment and once the anesthetic wears off, patients may report some tender pain in their gums. However it should go away within a few days.
How long does it take gums to heal after deep cleaning?
It typically takes about a week for gums to fully heal after a deep dental cleaning. This is because a deep cleaning requires dentists to clean underneath your gums, which can irritate them and cause inflammation. Typically after 5-7 days patients’ gums are back to normal and any swelling has subsided.
What should I do after a dental cleaning?
Try not to eat or drink anything for at least 30 minutes after your cleaning, especially if your teeth were polished. This helps the fluoride treatment work better. Staying hydrated is important, so drink plenty of water. It helps rinse away any food particles and keeps your mouth fresh.
Continue to brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. This helps keep your teeth clean between cleanings. Your teeth might feel a little sensitive after the cleaning. If you notice any pain, it should go away quickly. If it doesn’t, let our dentist know.
How does a dental cleaning help prevent cavities?
A dental cleaning helps prevent cavities by removing plaque and tartar from your teeth. Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth after you eat or drink. If it’s not cleaned off, it can turn into tartar, which is harder to remove and can lead to cavities.
During a dental cleaning, the dentist or hygienist uses special tools to scrape away the plaque and tartar that regular brushing and flossing can’t reach. By keeping your teeth clean and free of plaque, you lower your chances of getting cavities.
Regular cleanings also allow your dentist to check for any early signs of cavities so they can be treated before they get worse.
What happens if I skip a dental cleaning?
If you skip a dental cleaning, plaque and tartar can build up on your teeth. Plaque is a sticky layer of bacteria, and if it’s not removed, it hardens into tartar, which is tough to clean off at home. This buildup can lead to cavities, gum disease, and bad breath.
Skipping cleanings also means your dentist can’t catch early signs of dental problems, like tooth decay or gum issues. Without regular cleanings, these problems can get worse and might require more serious treatments, like fillings, root canals, or even tooth extractions.
The Secret To Getting Your Child To Floss Daily
It’s a fact of life for parents, kids emulate what they do. You teach your child not to talk to strangers, to wash his or her hands, even how to lock the door at night. You explain to them the danger of not taking precautions, but they do these things because they know you do them.
Dental care is no different. Children will brush and floss regularly because the adults in the house do it. The key is to approach the subject as a family. Discuss what happens when you don’t take care of your teeth. Most will readily accept brushing, because they feel an immediate change when their teeth are clean. Flossing takes more work.
It Starts in the Dental Office
You have to learn how to floss properly, and who better to ask for instructions than your dentist! Flossing helps remove food and other debris from between the teeth, but there is a technique to it. If you do it incorrectly, you may cut into gums causing pain. This negative reinforcement makes a child hesitant to floss, so learn the right way from the professionals. Once done correctly, it will become a natural extension of a child’s dental routine.
Make It a Family Affair
When kids are young, they enjoy mimicking their role models. Practice flossing together as a family when your children are young. As they grow older, they will appreciate privacy more, but the habit you help them form will stay with them. Providing a good example each day will matter, but only if they see what you are doing.
Use a Game Timer
Kids are naturally competitive. You can make a game out of flossing by timing the process. The goal is not to finish early, but the stay the distance – anyone still flossing his or her teeth when the buzzer sounds wins. You might give them points for each day they make it to the finish line and offer prizes at the end of the week, such as a few extra dollars with allowance or a chance to pick the movie.
Put It to Music
For younger children, try playing their favorite song when they floss. Audio is a better choice than playing a video, because it is less distracting. You want the child to concentrate on the cleaning ritual, just make sure the song is long enough for them to do an effective job. Explain that they should keep flossing the way the dentist showed them until the music stops.
Floss Early in the Evening
Sleepy kids won’t do a good job flossing or brushing for that matter. Make oral hygiene an early evening routine, after they have a snack, for example. No one knows your child better than you, so pick a time that she or she is alert, but will not be eating or drinking anything but water for the rest of the night.
Put Them in Control
Floss comes in many different styles. Let your children help find the right one for them. The American Dental Society points out it really doesn’t matter what kind of floss a person uses. The market is full of distinctive types – waxed, unwaxed, flat, wide, and flavored – give your kids a chance to experiment with each kind. That will instill a sense of control while letting them have some fun finding the right one.
Tell the Story of Good and Evil
Kids love a fairytale. Make flossing into an adventure where bacteria are the bad guys and floss the sword. Your champion grabs the sword for an epic battle with every floss session. Make it creative and inspiring enough to make your child want to floss just to hear the story again. Pretty soon, she or she will be telling it in their minds each time they floss. Battling evil is a great incentive.
Flossing doesn’t have to be a mundane task. The more meaning you make it, the more interesting it will be for your child. Ask your dentist for suggestions on how to make flossing fun for kids.