The Importance of Hygiene Visits
One of the most crucial reasons for regular dental appointments is to have your teeth cleaned by a professional hygienist. Even when you take extra care as you brush and floss, some bit of soft, sticky plaque remains. Over time, plaque transforms into tartar, which is even harder to remove with your standard toothbrush and floss. Tartar gathers below the gumline as well as on the surface of your teeth. Unremoved plaque and tartar increase your risk for more serious infections developing within your teeth and gums. Recent studies indicate a clear link between untreated gum disease and other serious conditions like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Having your teeth cleaned on a regular basis is one of the simplest things you can do to stay healthy!
Saving Hopeless Teeth
Missing teeth expose you to extra risk with regard to your long-term dental health. A root canal can prevent unnecessary extractions and save teeth with roots that have been injured or infected. A root canal is a process that repairs a tooth by removing the pulp chamber and packing the void with filling material. This is often required when dental decay damages the nerve of the tooth (or the tooth has become infected). At that point, your repair needs exceed the scope of a simple filling. We are skilled in advanced root canal therapy. In the past, the root canal acquired a reputation as something to be dreaded. However, with modern anesthetics and technology, root canals are now a manageable form of treatment.
Senior Dental Care is Different
Do you know that the risk of gum disease and root decay increases as we grow older? Our teeth age and decline along with the rest of our bodies. Even our prior dental work grows weaker and may crack over time. In addition, aging usually expands our use of medications, which can often produce a side effect of reduced saliva flow, which can cause problems with teeth and gums. There are simple products that can ease this condition. We can even help you mitigate the effects of years of plaque buildup and the dark appearance of teeth subjected to prolonged consumption of coffee, tea, or tobacco. Ask us about treatments that can ease all these developments.
Oral Cancer – Don’t Risk Your Life
Don’t become a preventable statistic! Oral cancer takes one American life every hour. For the past 40 years, this mortality rate hasn’t varied. Frustrating, because with early detection, there is a 90% cure rate for oral cancer. That’s why we do a visual screening for oral cancer at every six-month checkup and cleaning. If Dr. Schloss or our hygienist sees anything that generates concern, they’ll refer you to an oral surgeon. This screening could save your life!
Athletes – Don’t Worry About Knocking Out a Tooth!
Over 5 million teeth in the United States alone are knocked out each year. Even non-contact sports can be dangerous if you’re not wearing proper protection. There are one-size-fits-all mouthguards available in stores, but they don’t provide the best fit. They can even interfere with proper breathing while running during sports. Dr. Schloss can custom-make sports mouthguards for our athletic patients. These fit and protect well and can be worn for any sport.
The American Dental Association recommends wearing custom mouthguard for the following sports: acrobatics, basketball, boxing, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, racquetball, roller hockey, rugby, shot-putting, skateboarding, skiing, skydiving, soccer, squash, surfing, volleyball, water polo, weightlifting, wrestling.
Filling Choices to Fit Every Need
The standard silver-mercury amalgam filling is an affordable, reasonable restoration when a cavity needs addressing. We also offer fillings that are a natural-looking white, contain no metals, and can increase the strength of your teeth. These restorations bond very tightly with the healthy part of your tooth, so there will be less risk of decay seeping around the filling in the future. Call us today, and we’ll be happy to discuss which option is best for you.
