DENTAL CLEANING

Dental Cleanings: Healthy, Strong Teeth and Gums

Healthy teeth and gums is something we all want, but how do we attain that healthy, strong smile? Dental cleanings are paramount to long-lasting, healthy smiles.

At Smiles at Reston Town Center, our dentists and hygienists, along with the ADA recommend dental cleanings for you and your family every six months. In addition to six-month cleanings, effective oral care also includes:

• Brushing your teeth 2-3 times per day
• Flossing your teeth 1-2 times per day

These are the best recommendations for adequate oral care that you should practice on a daily basis, and teach your kids how to do so, as well.

Furthermore, we provide customized oral wellness programs so that you can receive unique and individualized dental screenings. These programs are uniquely designed to meet your specific dental goals and needs. To offer you top-of-the-line dentistry, we utilize cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment technology to customize your wellness plan. Rest assured, with our oral wellness programs, your teeth, gums, and mouth will be clean and healthy!

What happens without routine dental cleanings?

It is important to understand that without routine dental cleanings, you are putting yourself at risk for serious oral problems, as well as overall health problems. As such, if decay forms and you do not get it taken care of right away, gum disease and periodontal disease can be a serious threat to your oral health and overall health.

Not only can gum disease wreak havoc to your teeth and gums, but there has been numerous scientific studies that link gum disease to serious overall health problems, such as birth complications, heart problems, diabetes, stroke, and other serious illnesses and health problems.

Some early signs of gum disease include:

• Irritated gums in comparison to healthy, pink gums
• Soft gums when you touch them
• Bleeding gums when you brush and/or floss your teeth
• Discolored gums that appear as a dark red color

Furthermore, classic signs of periodontal disease include:

• Bright red or purple gums
• Sores inside your mouth
• Receding, inflamed, and/or swollen gums
• Changes in the way your teeth fit together (when you bite down)
• Spaces between your teeth or loose teeth
• Tender or sensitive gums (when you touch them)
• Halitosis (constant bad breath/bad taste in your mouth)
• Pyorrhea (pus between your teeth or near your gum line)

As you can see, decay that is not caught early on with routine dental cleanings can lead toserious decay, and in turn, cause gum disease or periodontal disease. The dentists of Smiles at Reston Town Center utilize cutting-edge equipment and techniques that detect decay early on so that serious problems have a lesser chance of ruining your healthy teeth and gums.

Periodontal treatment from our Reston dentists

In addition to dental cleanings, Our dental team offer thorough and effective periodontal treatment (gum disease treatment) for patients who have serious decay and oral problems. The periodontal services include:

• Laser gum surgery– This is also referred to as laser periodontal therapy or surgery. Laser gum surgery is an effective and safe treatment for those who suffer from periodontal disease, the advanced stage of gum disease. With this gum disease treatment, we can remove the built-up tartar in a virtually painless procedure.
• Root planing and scaling– Our dental team can perform the root planing and scaling procedure to treat and combat gum disease before it becomes more severe. We will thoroughly clean between your teeth and gums all the way down to the roots. This is one of the most effective treatments for gum disease.
• Laser pocket decontamination– When performing laser decontamination, our team uses a dental laser to precisely locate and eliminate the bacteria that causes periodontal disease. This bacteria is located in the periodontal pockets, and this is precisely where we need the laser to remove unhealthy bacteria and ensure that the pockets are clean and healthy once again.
• Gum graft– This is also referred to as soft tissue grafts. When patients experience gum recession (sometimes due to periodontal disease), we can perform a gum graft procedure to prevent additional recession and/or bone loss. The gum graft procedure can also help to reduce your tooth’s sensitivity and improve the appearance of your teeth and gums.

Get your teeth cleaned today!

An aesthetically-pleasing, healthy smile is one of your most important assets. If you are ready to receive your dental cleaning today, just call our Reston dentist office to schedule your consultation appointment, and to get your teeth cleaned right away. There’s no better time than now to get healthy teeth and gums!