What can I expect from a Dental Hygiene appointment?
Dental Hygienists at RGV Smiles can help you maintain a healthy smile.
After assessing a patient's individual oral health condition, dental hygienists plan a specific treatment plan designed to make sure each patient has the best oral health possible.
Our dental hygienists target specific dental hygiene treatment for patients, children through adults. While assessing a patient's overall health, they also look for problems such as cavities and gum disease.
Dental hygienists perform thorough head and neck examinations to check for oral cancer and other problems.
Our dental hygienists continually evaluate and, when necessary, revise treatment as it progresses to help patients achieve their oral health goals.
What is tooth decay?
Tooth decay can be caused by a variety of things, including foods rich in sugar and carbohydrates. If these particles are left on the teeth, they can allow bacteria to form plaque, a colorless sticky residue. Plaque can destroy enamel and other tooth structures to form cavities. If left untreated, cavities can lead to procedure such as fillings and root canals.
How can I Prevent Cavities?
The best defense against cavities is good oral hygiene - brushing with fluoride toothpaste, flossing and rinsing. Your body's saliva is also an excellent cavity fighter because it contains special chemicals that rinse away many harmful materials.
Special sealants and varnishes can also be applied to stave off cavities from forming.
Symptoms of a cavity:
- Unusual sensitivity to hot and cold water or foods
- A localized pain in your tooth or near the gum line
- Teeth that change color
Can sealants protect your teeth?
Sealants can help protect your teeth. They are most effective when applied after a tooth has fully grown. Children receive benefits from sealants because teeth are young.
Application of Sealants
The application of sealants involves cleaning the surface of the tooth. Then, a gel is applied to the enamel surface and left on for 15 seconds. After the tooth has dried, the sealant material is applied and hardened using a curing light.
Most sealants last about five years. Sealants are especially effective in preventing decay on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth.
What is Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?
Baby bottle tooth decay is caused by sugary substances in breast milk and some juices, which combine with saliva to form pools inside the baby's mouth.
If left untreated, this can lead to premature decay of your baby's future primary teeth, and later cause problems in the proper formation of permanent teeth.
One of the best ways to avoid baby bottle tooth decay is not allow your baby to nurse on a bottle while going to sleep. Encouraging your toddler to drink from a cup as early as possible will also help prevent problems associated with baby bottle tooth decay.
Toothaches
Simple toothaches can often be relieved by rinsing the mouth to clear it of debris and other matter. Sometimes, a toothache can be caused or aggravated by a piece of debris lodged between one tooth and another tooth.
Broken, Fractured, or Displaced Tooth
If you experience a broken, fractured or displaced tooth, contact us as soon as possible.
If the tooth has been knocked out, try to place the tooth back in its socket while waiting to see your dentist.
If the tooth fracture is minor, the tooth can be sanded or if necessary, restored by the dentist if the pulp is not severely damaged.
If a child's primary tooth has been loosened by an injury or an emerging permanent tooth, try getting the child to gently bite down on an apple or piece of caramel. In some cases, the tooth will easily separate from the gum.
Gum Disease (Gingivitis)
Gingivitis is the medical term for early gum disease, or periodontal disease, and can be caused by long-term exposure to plaque.
Gum disease originates in the gums, where infections form from harmful bacteria and other materials left behind from eating. Early warning signs include chronic bad breath, tender or painful swollen gums and minor bleeding after brushing or flossing. In many cases, however, gingivitis can go unnoticed. The infections can eventually cause the gums to separate from the teeth, creating even greater opportunities for infection and decay.
If gingivitis is left untreated, serious problems could occur such as abscess, bone loss, or periodontitis.
Periodontitis is treated in a number of ways. One method, called root planing, involved cleaning and scraping below the gum line to smooth the roots. This procedure helps the gums reattach themselves to the tooth structure.
Pregnancy has also been known to cause a form of gingivitis. This has been linked to hormonal changes in the woman's body that promote plaque production.
Plaque
Plaque is a colorless, sticky film that coats your teeth and creates an environment in which bacteria erode tooth enamel, cause gum irritation, infection in inner structures such as pulp and the roots, and in extreme cases, tooth loss.
Plaque forms when foods high in sugar and carbohydrates are not cleaned from the teeth. It can also attack fillings and other restorations in your mouth.
Sensitive Teeth
Many people suffer from sensitive teeth, a condition in which hot and cold foods or liquids, and even sudden puffs of air can cause discomfort and pain.
Tooth sensitivity can be caused by a number of things. An unnoticed cavity or abcessed tooth can sometimes be a culprit; but over time and as you age, changes in temperature, as well as such behaviors as tooth grinding (bruxism) and overly aggressive brushing, can cause small, often microscopic cracks or fissures on the chewing surfaces of your teeth (or near the gum lines), which exposes the inner structures called dentin.
Hypersensitive teeth can cause people to change their eating habits, avoid social situations, or even avoid proper oral hygiene because the simple act of brushing or rinsing causes pain. Relief can sometimes be had by using a desensitizing toothpaste, sealants, or special fillings.
Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)
Teeth grinding, also called bruxism, is often viewed as a harmless, though annoying, habit. Some people develop bruxism from an inability to deal with stress or anxiety.
Teeth grinding can transform your bite relationship or severely damage your teeth and jaws over a long period of time. It can also cause abrasion to the chewing surfaces of your teeth. This abnormal wear and tear will prematurely age and loosen your teeth, opening them to problems such as hypersensitivity (from the small cracks that form, exposing your dentin.) Bruxism can also lead to chronic jaw and facial pain, as well as headaches.
Signs of Bruxism
- A sore jaw or you hear popping sounds when you open and close your mouth
- Teeth look abnormally short or worn down
- Small dents in your tongue
Bruxism can be treatable. A common therapy involves use of a special appliance worn while sleeping. Less intrusive, though just as effective methods could involve biofeedback, and behavior modification, such as tongue exercises and learning how to properly align your tongue, teeth and lips.
Scaling and Root Planning - hygiene
Advanced gum disease sometime requires the dentist to clean below the gum line to remove crusty deposits called tartar or calculus, and remove damage near the tooth root. This is done to prevent further damage and restore and stabilize the tooth.
After cleaning, the root may need to be smoothed, or planed, to restore it to its original shape. Planing also allows your gum tissue to better attach itself and heal properly.
Map