The Importance of Regular Dental Cleanings
Even the most dedicated oral hygiene patient can’t remove all the plaque and tartar that accumulates on their teeth. Crowded teeth, diet, and in many cases genetics make it necessary to have professional dental cleanings on a regular and frequent basis. Although many patients see us three and sometimes four times per year for cleanings, the current recommendation for a standard patient is two dental cleanings per year. By using specially designed instruments and equipment, we can effectively remove potentially harmful substances and deposits that can lead to cavities and gum disease.
The
Importance of Regular Dental Exams
We touch on this in the FAQ section as well, because it’s so important. When it comes to the mouth, there’s a lot going on.
Each tooth has five surfaces: the chewing surface (1), the front and the back (2 and 3), the side closest to your cheek (4), and the side closest to your tongue/palate (5). Assuming a person has all 32 adult teeth, that’s 160 different spots that can potentially develop a cavity. The teeth are under constant physical, medicinal, and chemical stress, leading to fractures, decay, erosion, abrasion…and the list goes on and on.
The materials we use for fillings, crowns, and dentures, although very durable, are still man-made products. Like a roof on a house or the tires on a car, at some point mother nature will take its toll, and these things will need to be replaced or improved upon.
Some form of gum disease (gingivitis and/or periodontitis) is highly prevalent in most Americans at almost all ages.
The lips, tongue, floor of the mouth, roof of the mouth, cheeks, and virtually any other area of oral soft tissue can develop a host of infections, diseases, and lesions, including cancer – and many of these processes are painless in their beginning stages.
Like dental cleanings, we recommend at least two exams per year. For patients with dentures, we recommend at least one exam per year. With all the “dental unfriendly” food products, diet fads, and potentially damaging habits that consume our daily lifestyles, it’s important to have regular check-ups to find these things early. The vast majority of the time, we perform this exam at your dental cleaning visit.
Oral Cancer: Early Detection is Paramount
During every routine exam, we do a thorough check for oral cancer, and always side with extreme caution. If found early, oral cancer has a much better chance of responding to treatment. So in the rare event we notice a change in your tissue’s appearance, please don’t be overly alarmed if we ask you to come back in 10 days for a re-check, or refer you to an oral surgeon for further evaluation – 99.9% of the time, it turns out to be nothing. But in that extremely rare case it turns out to be something, we want to be on top of it. Early detection is vital to survival rates when dealing with this deadly disease.
Fluoride
Fluoride seems to be the new “flavor of the month” when it comes to health care controversy. In dentistry, fluoride has been proven to help teeth resist tooth decay, with its main benefit coming from direct, topical applications, mainly toothpastes and mouth rinses.
The concerns tend to focus on fluoride ingestion. To date, there’s been no link noted in legitimate research to suggest fluoride causes all the problems many people claim. Everyone ingests fluoride, because fluoride is everywhere; it's in the foods we eat and the beverages we drink, including well water and most bottled water brands. BUT…ingestion of this naturally occurring substance does need monitoring. We will be more than happy to discuss this at your appointment.
Sports and Dental Trauma
Each year in the United States alone, five million teeth are lost due to sports injuries. This staggering statistic can be reduced or eliminated with the use of a properly fitting mouthguard. The one-size-fits-all mouthguard that is sold in stores doesn’t fit well or provide the necessary protection. But a custom-made mouthguard will work well for any sport. We can fit you for one that will be comfortable and functional. As recommended by the American Dental Association, please wear a mouthguard for the following sports:
Lacrosse, gymnastics, racquetball, acrobatics, volleyball, water polo, basketball, field hockey, football, handball, martial arts, roller hockey, rugby, skateboarding, skiing, boxing, skydiving, ice hockey, soccer, shot-putting, squash, surfing, weight lifting, and wrestling.
If it’s time to schedule your next cleaning and exam, call us now at (330) 533-1961.
Even the most dedicated oral hygiene patient can’t remove all the plaque and tartar that accumulates on their teeth. Crowded teeth, diet, and in many cases genetics make it necessary to have professional dental cleanings on a regular and frequent basis. Although many patients see us three and sometimes four times per year for cleanings, the current recommendation for a standard patient is two dental cleanings per year. By using specially designed instruments and equipment, we can effectively remove potentially harmful substances and deposits that can lead to cavities and gum disease.
The
Importance of Regular Dental ExamsWe touch on this in the FAQ section as well, because it’s so important. When it comes to the mouth, there’s a lot going on.
Each tooth has five surfaces: the chewing surface (1), the front and the back (2 and 3), the side closest to your cheek (4), and the side closest to your tongue/palate (5). Assuming a person has all 32 adult teeth, that’s 160 different spots that can potentially develop a cavity. The teeth are under constant physical, medicinal, and chemical stress, leading to fractures, decay, erosion, abrasion…and the list goes on and on.
The materials we use for fillings, crowns, and dentures, although very durable, are still man-made products. Like a roof on a house or the tires on a car, at some point mother nature will take its toll, and these things will need to be replaced or improved upon.
Some form of gum disease (gingivitis and/or periodontitis) is highly prevalent in most Americans at almost all ages.
The lips, tongue, floor of the mouth, roof of the mouth, cheeks, and virtually any other area of oral soft tissue can develop a host of infections, diseases, and lesions, including cancer – and many of these processes are painless in their beginning stages.
Like dental cleanings, we recommend at least two exams per year. For patients with dentures, we recommend at least one exam per year. With all the “dental unfriendly” food products, diet fads, and potentially damaging habits that consume our daily lifestyles, it’s important to have regular check-ups to find these things early. The vast majority of the time, we perform this exam at your dental cleaning visit.
Oral Cancer: Early Detection is Paramount
During every routine exam, we do a thorough check for oral cancer, and always side with extreme caution. If found early, oral cancer has a much better chance of responding to treatment. So in the rare event we notice a change in your tissue’s appearance, please don’t be overly alarmed if we ask you to come back in 10 days for a re-check, or refer you to an oral surgeon for further evaluation – 99.9% of the time, it turns out to be nothing. But in that extremely rare case it turns out to be something, we want to be on top of it. Early detection is vital to survival rates when dealing with this deadly disease.
Fluoride
Fluoride seems to be the new “flavor of the month” when it comes to health care controversy. In dentistry, fluoride has been proven to help teeth resist tooth decay, with its main benefit coming from direct, topical applications, mainly toothpastes and mouth rinses.
The concerns tend to focus on fluoride ingestion. To date, there’s been no link noted in legitimate research to suggest fluoride causes all the problems many people claim. Everyone ingests fluoride, because fluoride is everywhere; it's in the foods we eat and the beverages we drink, including well water and most bottled water brands. BUT…ingestion of this naturally occurring substance does need monitoring. We will be more than happy to discuss this at your appointment.
Sports and Dental Trauma
Each year in the United States alone, five million teeth are lost due to sports injuries. This staggering statistic can be reduced or eliminated with the use of a properly fitting mouthguard. The one-size-fits-all mouthguard that is sold in stores doesn’t fit well or provide the necessary protection. But a custom-made mouthguard will work well for any sport. We can fit you for one that will be comfortable and functional. As recommended by the American Dental Association, please wear a mouthguard for the following sports:
Lacrosse, gymnastics, racquetball, acrobatics, volleyball, water polo, basketball, field hockey, football, handball, martial arts, roller hockey, rugby, skateboarding, skiing, boxing, skydiving, ice hockey, soccer, shot-putting, squash, surfing, weight lifting, and wrestling.
If it’s time to schedule your next cleaning and exam, call us now at (330) 533-1961.
Dental Care
Call (330) 533-1961 • 3870 Starrs Centre Drive • Canfield, OH 44406
Brian T. Weibling, DDS
The Tri-County's Center for
Gentle Family Dentistry
The Tri-County's Center for
Gentle Family Dentistry
