How often do I need to visit the dentist for a checkup?
The ADA and CREST usually recommend twice a year, and I like to see my patients four times a year because things can happen really quickly. So, if we are always monitoring what is going on in your mouth, oftentimes I can prevent the need for dental treatment. Prevention is always easier. It just means you have to see me more, four times a year, but the bare minimum, if you can, is to see me twice a year.
What are the benefits of fluoride treatment?
Fluoride is the number one long-standing successful action in preventing cavities. So, if you are experiencing dry mouth because you've been prescribed medication recently and you're feeling, oh my gosh, my mouth is more dry, fluoride treatments can help prevent cavities from forming due to your saliva not being as free-flowing. Our saliva flow is the number one defense that we have in washing away the bacteria and the plaque that causes cavities. Another thing you can do is definitely brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once. If you cannot floss or if you're experiencing arthritis or your fingers aren't as nimble, we definitely love the Waterpik because it's just point and shoot, and that'll also help.
Why would I need x-rays and are they safe?
Another question that I get is why do I need to get x-rays when I see you so often, Doc? We recommend x-rays once a year, and that is just because I cannot see what's going on inside your teeth. I wish I had x-ray vision like Superman, but I don't, and so it just helps for me to be able to see what is going on inside, beyond your gums, beyond your teeth that I cannot see. Oftentimes, when our teeth form cavities or start rotting, it's in between the teeth, and it takes for the cavity to have progressed quite a bit for us to actually see the discoloration or the change in texture, meaning the tooth is starting to get soft and mushy. So before it gets to that point, we always like to make sure everything is going as it should be, and if we can just prevent, prevention is the key. If we can prevent dental treatment, that would be the best for the patient. So that's why we recommend x-rays once a year.
The other question I get behind that is, are x-rays safe? Is it okay for me to get x-rays that often? The answer is definitely yes. Believe it or not, with technological advances, the type of radiation a patient gets from dental x-rays is way less than the radiation we would get standing in front of the microwave. So if you're not afraid of standing in front of the microwave, you should not be afraid of getting dental x-rays.
What causes gum disease and how can I prevent it?
One of the first early signs of gum disease is bleeding gums, and it doesn't have to be gushing blood. If you are brushing and or flossing and you notice an area that is causing bleeding or you don't know where it's coming from, but when you swish and spit after brushing, you see blood, that means you have early signs of gum disease. If you look at my model right here, this side is just the picture of health. The gums are pink, tight, not puffy, or bleeding. This side would be early stages, middle stages, late stages of gum disease, and that is where gums are bleeding, inflamed, or receding. If you are experiencing any of these things, then that means you are on the path of gum disease.
The trick to gum disease is to prevent it, but once you have it, then the trick to it is one, catching it early and maintaining it at the level that it's being caught so that it doesn't continue to worsen. That way, you don't end up losing teeth. Once you have gum disease, you always have gum disease. It's a silent disease like diabetes, there's no cure for it, but just like millions of Americans that have diabetes, they can live healthy lifestyles if one, they catch it early, and two, they maintain it so that it's under control and it doesn't continue to worsen. It's the same thing with gum disease. Catch it early, maintain it, and control it so that it doesn't continue to worsen.
I hope I was able to answer some of the common questions that I often get. If you have any other questions, please give me a call back at (702) 819-0866. I would love to meet you and answer any of the questions that this video may have given you, or if you're wondering about anything else regarding your teeth, your gums, or your smile, I would love to answer them for you in person. So come see me!
Your preventative care visits to our office may be some of the most important ones for your health. That’s because each time we see you for cleanings and examinations, we have a chance to detect decay, gum infections, abscesses and more serious problems.
The earlier we can detect these problems, the faster we can start treatment to eliminate the problem. If we notice that we are having to clean away a lot of plaque, we can help you develop a better at-home care regimen to keep your teeth cleaner between visits.
We strongly suggest that you maintain a regular schedule of preventative visits to our office.
Our Goal: Keeping Your Teeth!
With our services, we intend to help you keep every last tooth. One of the ways we do this is providing guards for your teeth. Night guards prevent damage from teeth-grinding, and sports guards prevent injury during athletics.
Whatever we can do to protect your teeth, please let us know.