Lake Orion, Michigan 48360
(248) 693-6213
Cleanings & Periodontal Therapy
Everyone over the age of four or five should visit the dentist for a professional hygiene appointment twice per year. Our gentle hygienists will inspect your gums for periodontal disease, the leading cause of tooth loss for American adults. The hygienists are specially trained to detect, deter, and treat gum disease. We prefer to help you maintain optimal oral health so that you never have to worry about gum disease. However, if you develop periodontal problems, we're here to help you.
If we find cause for concern, we may recommend that you change your oral healthcare routine or the products you use at home. We may also suggest a deep cleaning, which involves:
- Scaling to remove tartar from below the gum line
- Root planing to smooth rough root surfaces where plaque builds up
- Arestin antibiotic treatment to kill bacterial infection
- Laser gum treatment
Brushing
Although most people think they know the reasons for proper, daily tooth brushing, few people realize that clean teeth and healthy gums can protect against a variety of general, even life-threatening, health problems. When you don't brush regularly, harmful bacteria multiply and plaque forms. Combined with sugar, saliva, mucus, and food debris, plaque creates a strong acid substance that eats away protective tooth enamel to cause tooth decay. A downhill slide can result.
Over time, the decay works its way below the enamel to infect tooth dentin, and this can cause pain and kill teeth. Meanwhile, plaque buildup on tooth surfaces irritates gums, causing them to pull away from the teeth and expose the sensitive tooth roots. Loose gums form pockets where bacteria gathers, causing an infection. This can destroy the bone that holds teeth secure, resulting in tooth loosening or loss. Finally, chronic gum disease can break down the protective barrier between oral bacteria and your bloodstream. This allows bacteria to enter your bloodstream and increases the risk for a host of health problems like heart disease, stroke, respiratory illness, diabetes complications, and pregnancy complications.
Maintain good oral health by establishing a solid habit of brushing twice daily with a soft toothbrush, using the proper technique and quality fluoride toothpaste, and flossing carefully once a day. What's the best brushing technique? That depends on your personal dentition, but general guidelines apply to all patients.
First, choose toothpaste with the ADA seal of approval. You should spend at least three to four minutes brushing with a small, soft, angled brush in little, circular motions across all tooth surfaces and the gum line. Cover two to three teeth at a time, applying gentle pressure. Harsh brushing can damage gums and cause painful sensitivity. After brushing your teeth, remember to brush or scrape your tongue to remove germs and bacteria that harm teeth and cause bad breath. Finally, rinse your entire mouth with water and spit out the debris. Brush twice daily or after meals, and floss between teeth once a day.
For more thorough brushing, consider purchasing an electric toothbrush. Some models feature an automatic cut off or warning light that kicks into action when you brush too harshly. Replace your toothbrush every three to four months so that the bristles remain effectively positioned and clean. For fresh breath and further prevention of bad bacteria, follow up with an over-the-counter mouthwash.
Flossing
Bad Bacteria
You may not realize that even when your mouth is clean, bacteria lurk in the warm, damp cave, growing and eating incessantly. These naturally occurring micro-organisms make a delicacy of even the most minute food particles, after which they deposit a sticky residue on the teeth called plaque. After you brush and floss, plaque accumulates throughout the day and night, especially in places where toothbrushes can't reach. Left to harden into tartar, plaque buildup irritates gums and can trigger inflammation and gum disease. Sound like a nasty situation? It doesn't have to be. In fact, you can virtually eliminate plaque by carefully brushing and properly flossing every day.
It's really that simple: your toothbrush cleans the tops and sides of your teeth, while the floss cleans between them. Flossing also polishes teeth and controls bad breath. An extra two or three minutes spent flossing each day can give you a huge advantage in the war against those bad bacteria. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing twice and flossing once daily.
Two Techniques
Correct flossing is a fairly easy thing to learn: either via the spool method, if you're quite dexterous, or via the loop method if you're less nimble with your fingers. To use the spool method, simply pull off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it lightly around your middle finger. Don't pull tightly and cut off your circulation! Then wind the remaining floss around your other hand's middle finger to take up the used floss as you go. Now, push the floss in between your teeth using your index fingers and thumbs. Gently bring the floss up and down several times around both sides of each tooth, making sure to reach below the gum line, forming a C around each tooth with the floss. Pull or push it against your gums carefully so that you don't hurt them; avoid rubbing it from side to side.
To use the loop method, pull off an 18-inch strand of floss, then make it into a circle. Tie the circle with three secure knots, and place all of your fingers (not your thumb) within the loop. Next, use your index fingers to direct the floss through your lower teeth, and your thumbs to direct it through your upper teeth. Again, be sure to clean below the gum line, and make the floss form a C around the sides of each tooth.
If you're not especially skilled with your hands, or if you have to floss someone else's teeth for them, you may want to consider a pre-threaded flossing tool. These small plastic devices come in bulk packages at drugstores. They are rather inexpensive but very effective.
We Invite You to Schedule a Visit Today
Located in Lake Orion, our state-of-the-art dental facility serves families from Clarkston, Auburn Hills, Oxford, and Rochester Hills, as well as many other areas in southeast Michigan. Call us at 248-693-6213 to reserve your personal consultation, checkup, and cleaning with Dr. Greenfield, or to get answers to all of your questions. It’s time you experienced dental care close to home, but far from ordinary!