Preventive Dentistry

Dental Checkups & Teeth Cleanings

Even if your teeth and gums are generally healthy, we still recommend having at least two checkups and cleanings every year. Cavities and gum disease tend to develop in subtle ways at first, so you might not realize there’s a problem until significant dental damage has already been done. Dental X-rays and a careful visual examination will help us form a complete picture of your dental health before we remove plaque and tartar from the spots in your mouth that you’ve had trouble cleaning.

Nightguards for Bruxism

When you visit our dental office, we might notice that your teeth are more damaged or worn down than they should be. If you’re not sure how that happened, there’s a good chance it’s a result of bruxism, a bad habit where you grind and clench your teeth at night. You may not be able to control your mouth while you sleep, but you can use one of our comfortable, personalized nightguards to prevent further damage to your smile.

Fluoride Treatments

The fluoride in public drinking water and most brands of toothpaste helps build strong teeth that are less vulnerable to tooth decay. To make sure that your smile is getting the most out of fluoride, we can apply this special mineral directly to the enamel. This might involve using a highly concentrated fluoride rinse, foam, gel, or varnish towards the end of your appointment. After about 30 minutes, the fluoride will have fully absorbed into your teeth, improving the protection they’ll enjoy for the next few months.

Oral Cancer Screenings

You probably haven’t had many discussions at the dentist’s office about oral cancer, but that doesn’t mean we’re not keeping an eye out for it! An average of one person dies every hour from oral cancer, and diagnosing the condition early will substantially improve your odds of survival. We’ll perform an oral cancer screening as part of each checkup; if worrisome lumps or discolored patches are found, we can help you make arrangements for a biopsy.

Children’s Dentistry

A calm, compassionate approach to care is especially important when working with younger patients. During your little one’s first appointment, we will take the time to teach them about the best ways to take care of their teeth, and we will always use a gentle approach that makes it easy for them to relax. Feel free to ask us for some tips on improving the care that they receive on a daily basis at home.