Dental Exams & Cleanings
Regular dental exams and cleanings are a crucial part of preventive health care. It gives you a one on one session with your dentist and dental hygienist.
Here you can discuss your diet and oral hygiene habits that include proper brushing, as well as any pertinent concerns you have for your oral health.
Other issues you can discuss in such sessions are lifestyle factors that are likely to affect your oral health plus any additional possible dental cosmetic improvement to your teeth.
Dental Exam
The examination begins with a first appointment. Here a dentist will perform a diagnostic x-rays (radiographs) analysis of your teeth.
Some of these check-ups and tests will include but not limited to:
Examination of Diagnostic X-Rays (Radiographs)
A diagnostic x-ray allows your dentist to access detailed sections of your dental formula that may not be visible with the naked eye. Here the dentist will mainly be looking to identify decays, tumors, cysts, and bone loss.
The process also helps establish tooth and root positions.
The radiation exposure from the whole process is significantly low, especially with the digital x-ray, so you do not need to worry.
Oral Cancer Screening
As part of the dental exam, your dentist will look for traces of oral cancer. The potential places that he or she might take a keen interest in include;
- Under the jaw,
- Side of the neck and inside the lips and cheeks
- Sides of your tongue
- The roof and floor of the mouth.
Gum Disease Evaluation
Our dental hygienist will measure the space between each one of our teeth and the gum during your dental evaluation. He will also measure any signs of the gum tissue’s recession, loosening of teeth, and inflammation of the gum tissues.
We recommend that you do this annually to help prevent potential gum diseases.
The dental hygienist will also examine potential tooth decay and existing restorations.
Professional Dental Cleaning
Many patients fear going through the dental cleaning procedure because of the occasional noise prodding and some little jaw discomfort. However, for most, the process is a simple one with no pain at all.
We have Registered Dental Hygienists that are highly competent in performing professional dental cleaning (dental prophylaxis).
Some of the processes that you will go through in the entire procedure include:
Removing Plaque and Calculus (Tartar)
The human mouth is full of bacteria. When these bacteria form a coalition with food debris and mucus, they form a sticky colorless biofilm called plaque on the teeth surface. Brushing and flossing will help you get rid of the plaque. However, if you do not remove it, it hardens to form another layer called tartar. The new layer is hard enough that even brushing cannot remove.
Therefore you need to visit a professional dent or a dental hygienist to remove tartar from your teeth. The accumulation of tartar causes inflammation in your gums and can result in bone loss.
It may also bring about periodical dental problems like sensitive teeth. So we recommend regular brushing and flossing to remove the stubborn layer.
Teeth Polishing
After removing the tartar from your teeth, our dental hygienist uses a high-powered electric brush to brush and polishes them. The process aims to get deeper, clean, and remove any tartar skipped in the above process.
The professional gritty paste used in this procedure smells and tastes like any regular toothpaste. However, it is more effective and has gritty consistency to scrub your teeth thoroughly. We recommend that you do teeth polishing twice every year for the best dental care.
Fluoride Treatment
Another essential step in the professional dental cleaning process is fluoride treatments. The treatment protects and helps your dental system fight potential cavities for several months.
