Preventative Dentistry
Adult and Child Cleaning
Brushing and flossing your teeth are the two most important factors in daily dental hygiene. This is because plaque, a sticky mixture of food particles and bacteria, begins building up on your teeth within 20 minutes of eating a meal. If the plaque is not removed quickly, it can harden, turn into tartar and eventually cause tooth decay.
But brushing and flossing alone can't get rid of all the plaque and tartar in your mouth. That is why your teeth need to be cleaned by a dentist or hygienist every six months. This regular cleaning is referred to as "prophylaxis" in the dental community. Using special cleaning instruments, our cosmetic dentists can clean and polish your teeth so they continue to remain healthy and free of decay and gum disease.
What is a Prophylaxis?
A prophylaxis is a preventive cleaning performed by a dental hygienist. It is usually done every six months for people who have healthy gum tissue, good overall health, and minimal plaque and bacteria build up. At times it may also be appropriate for an individual with mild gingivitis or gum tissue inflammation.
What is a Dental X-Ray?
A dental x-ray (radiograph) is a picture taken intra-orally (inside the mouth) for diagnostic purposes. It shows many things that are not visible to the dentist's eye. Dental x-rays are an essential part of a thorough dental examination.
Three Types of Radiographs
Bitewings
Images of the back teeth used to diagnose cavities between the teeth.
Periapical
A dental x-ray used to diagnose conditions causing tooth pain or sensitivity. This image can be taken of a front or back tooth.
Who Needs to Have Dental X-Rays?
Dental x-rays are a standard of care in dentistry, and should be taken every 12 months. Your dental professional will prescribe dental x-rays that suit your particular needs. If you are experiencing pain or sensitivity you will require dental x-rays more often.
When is it Safe to be Exposed to X-Rays?
The radiation received from a dental x-ray is substantially less than the radiation you would receive from the sun in one day. Your x-ray exposure has been minimized by technology advances such as:
- High speed film
- Long cone devices
- Lead aprons
- Thyroid collars
- Low radiation settings
The only time radiation is not advisable is during pregnancy, when dental x-rays will not be taken unless an emergency is identified.
How to Read an X-Ray
X-Rays allow the dentist to examine the inside of the tooth, as well as the structures surrounding it. X-Rays do not show soft tissue, only bone and hard structures.
This x-ray picture shows the upper right teeth. The green arrows point to the bone support. The blue arrows point to the healthy enamel of the tooth. The red arrows point to the canal holding the nerves, blood vessels, and pulp tissues of the tooth. The purple arrows point to the decayed enamel.
This dental x-rays shows the upper font teeth and the dark black area between them, which indicates decay. Decay between the teeth is usually caused by a lack of flossing. The yellow arrows point to this decayed area.
Toothpaste Ingredients
Do you read the toothpaste label? Many of these seemingly chemical-sounding names are really just simple ingredients. Here are a few of them, with explanations.
Hydrogen peroxide
A bleaching agent, and the only proven one that successfully whitens teeth.
Sodium bicarbonate
This ingredient is none other than plain old fashioned baking soda. It helps remove surface stains, as it is mildly abrasive and helps make the teeth feel smooth and clean.
Sodium pyrophosphate
An ingredient found in most tartar control toothpastes, as it prevents the plaque formation. However once this plaque hardens into tartar, only your dental professional can remove it.
Propylene glycol
The ingredient that keeps the toothpaste’s solid and liquid ingredients mixed and moist.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
A foaming agent. It has been known to cause canker sores in some people.
Sodium saccharin
A toothpaste sweetener.
Desensitizing ingredients
These ingredients are added to toothpastes for sensitivity reduction. They block pain from passing to the nerve inside the tooth.
Triclosan
An antibacterial agent proven to fight gingivitis by inhibiting bacterial growth.
Tooth Sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity is pain caused by cold, hot, or sweet foods. The most common cause is exposed root surfaces. Root surfaces are made of dentin which is more porous than tooth enamel. It has pores or tubules that serve as conductors for the nerve, so any dramatic stimulation of these tubules will cause the sensation of pain, which can be quite abrupt and severe.
Causes of root exposure
- Brushing too Aggressively - may cause gum tissues to recede, leading to root exposure.
- Gum Disease - affects bone support around the teeth, and if bone support is lost, gums will likely recede, which leads to root exposure.
Other causes of sensitive teeth
- Cracked or Broken Teeth
- Grinding or Clenching your Teeth
What to do at home
- Continue good oral hygiene
- Use an extra soft toothbrush
- Utilize a desensitizing toothpaste
- Avoid sweet or sour foods
- Avoid food or drink with extremely cold or hot temperatures.
- Utilize fluoride mouthwashes and toothpastes
Professional Care
There are several different solutions that your dental professional can offer you:
- White filling placement to cover exposed roots
- Fluoride varnish application to exposed root surfaces
- Dentin sealer can be applied to exposed surfaces
How to Floss
Flossing is a very important part of cleaning the teeth. It removes plaque and bacteria from in-between the teeth where the tooth brush and saliva cannot reach.
There are several different flossing tools that can be used if you find it difficult to wield the floss with your fingers. Ask your dental professional to provide you with an interdental tool.
- Use a piece of floss that is 12 - 18 inches long. Wind it around your index fingers, keeping about 1-1.5 inches in between your fingers for flossing.
- Gently slide this piece of floss in between the teeth. Curve the floss around each tooth, creating a C shape. Slide the floss up and down the side of the tooth for 3 or 4 strokes. For each new area, change the floss by unwinding and rewinding it between your fingers.
How To Brush
Brushing is less important than flossing, but more important than using mouthwashes. It removes plaque and bacteria from all the smooth surfaces of the teeth.
Plaque removal is most effectively accomplished by an electric toothbrush, as they have been proven far more effective in daily plaque removal than a manual tooth brush. Regardless of toothbrush type, remember to change your tooth brush head every three months.
- When brushing your teeth, pay particular attention to the areas nearest the gum line because most plaque and bacteria build up there.
- Use short circular strokes pointing the toothbrush bristles toward the gum line.
- For the insides of the upper and lower front teeth point your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle. Use a straight up and down stroke.
- For all areas by the cheeks or lips, point the toothbrush towards the gum line. Use short circular strokes.
- After you have thoroughly cleaned every tooth, brush the top of your tongue to remove bacteria.
Sometimes our patients in the Lansing area get nervous or anxious about coming into the dentist for teeth cleanings, but it is a painless process. With the new tools and instruments we are able to use today, and the gentle touch of our cosmetic dentists, you can put those worries behind you!
" The dental procedures we specialize in enhance our
patients' look and their quality of life! "
If you are in the Lansing, Michigan area and it is time for you or your child to come in for your next cleaning, contact us today to schedule an appointment. We are committed to utilizing the best family and cosmetic dentistry services available to keep all of our patients' teeth clean and healthy for a lifetime.
