Dental hygiene is an important part of your overall health care regimen. Our office is committed to providing you optimum cleanings and regular evaluations. Detecting issues early is important to maintaining your oral health, saving your natural teeth and preventing costly dental emergencies.
The benefits of regular dental hygiene include:
- Plaque removal. Tartar (also referred to as calculus) and plaque buildup, both above and below the gum line, can result in serious periodontal problems. Unfortunately, even with a proper home brushing and flossing routine, it can be impossible to remove all debris, bacteria and deposits from gum pockets. The experienced eye of Dr. Schumm or your hygienist using specialized dental equipment is necessary to catch potentially damaging buildup.
- A healthier-looking smile. Yellowed or stained teeth can decrease the esthetics of a smile. Prophylaxis is an effective treatment that can rid your teeth of stains.
- Fresher breath. Bad breath (or halitosis) is generally indicative of advancing periodontal disease. A combination of rotting food particles (possibly below the gum line) and gum infection results in bad breath. The routine removal of plaque, calculus and bacteria can noticeably improve halitosis and reduce infection.
We recommend that prophylaxis be performed twice annually as a preventative measure, but should be completed every 3 to 4 months if you have periodontitis. It should be noted that gum disease cannot be completely reversed, but regular prophylaxis and compliance with your at-home care plan can effectively halt its progression.
Have you checked to see when you next appointment with our office is? Call us and we’ll schedule it right away!