Keeping your natural teeth healthy is one of the best things a person can do for their smile. We feel that preventive dental care is one of the most important steps in enhancing our patient’s oral health. We provide you with the tools to prevent disease, reverse infection, and limit the need for extensive dental work later on. Not only does this save you money, it saves your smile.
To prevent problems like gum disease and tooth decay from popping up, we recommend a preventive care appointment with our team at least every six months. For some people, it may need to be every three or four. Regular assessment of your teeth allows us to intervene early, sometimes when disease is completely reversible.
Here’s how:
The first time you visit our Salmon, ID location, we will perform an extensive comprehensive examination to establish a “baseline” that all future exams will be compared back to. This allows us to carefully monitor the health of your teeth, gums, and integrity of existing restorations. Every six months afterward, a periodic exam will check to see if there have been any changes or developments in situations, so that we can intervene quickly.
Low-radiation, high resolution dental x-rays allow us to screen more thoroughly for signs of decay, disease, and pathology. Plus, they’re even safer than conventional dental x-rays (which were already safe to begin with!) We use x-rays to share our findings with you during your exam, so that you can see the same things that we do. Plus, digital radiography is so efficient, that it saves five to ten minutes as no chemical processing is necessary: making them better on your time, and better on the environment!
Do you have gum disease? Every adult receives a periodic screening where we assess the height of your supporting gum and bone tissue. As we measure the “pockets” around your teeth, listen for numbers that are greater than three, as these indicate areas where gum detachment is starting to occur. Multiple deep pockets mean that we need to consider some form of periodontal therapy to halt the disease process.
You don’t have to be a smoker to develop oral cancer. Risk factors include everything from sun exposure to certain types of viruses. That’s why our team thoroughly screen each patient for oral cancer during every exam. We look for atypical tissues during their precancerous stages, as early diagnosis is the most effective form of treatment. Let us know if you notice any areas such as sores that do not heal, small lumps, or white/red patches that do not match the tissues around them. If precancerous tissue is noted, we’ll either take a small biopsy or send you to an oral surgeon for further diagnosis.
Even if you’re brushing and flossing each day, there are areas of your teeth that collect plaque and tartar buildup. Our hygienists use special tools to gently remove these deposits so that your gum tissues don’t become inflamed or detached over time.
In-office and take-home fluoride is ideal for people with sensitive teeth, individuals wearing braces, or if someone is at a high risk for developing cavities. We also recommend fluoride after every cleaning to remove essential minerals that may have been removed during the visit.
These thin protective coatings block out acids, food, and bacterial plaque from collecting in the deep grooves of your back teeth. While usually reserved for children, adults can request sealants as well! A sealant takes only a few minutes to apply, and no drilling or numbing is necessary. They make it easier to clean hard-to-access tooth anatomy so that you can feel confident that you’re doing everything possible to combat tooth decay.
