When you visit our Livermore family dental office for a dental cleaning, we can examine you to determine if you have any cavities or gum disease and if you need to have any treatments to restore your mouth to excellent health. We encourage you to visit our general dentist office for a bi-annual teeth cleaning and exam so we can prevent these issues from developing while also providing you with the treatments you need before they have the chance to become major issues.
Cavities
Tooth decay is a major issue for both children and adults. If plaque and tartar build up on teeth, the plaque can begin to secrete an acid that attacks the teeth, breaks down the enamel and causes a cavity or tooth decay. We can prevent this with regular teeth cleanings, and if the patient does develop a small cavity, we can treat it right away. With immediate treatment, the tooth structure is only influenced slightly, rather than a large portion of it being lost to decay. Time is of the essence when preventing a patient from experiencing a toothache.
Gum disease
Identifying gum disease is a significant reason for scheduling a regular dental cleaning and check-up. This is an issue that if left untreated can lead to your gums receding, bone loss and even tooth loss. If we can examine the patient's teeth on a regular basis in our family dental office, we can identify the signs of the condition and treat it while the gum disease is minor before they recede. Otherwise, the gums may begin to pull away from the tooth structure and a more significant procedure like gum grafting may be necessary.
Oral cancer
As a family dental office, we warn patients about the dangers of oral cancer. This is a serious disease that impacts people of all ages, but mainly adults as they age. Oral cancer kills one person every day in the United States, and it is difficult to detect on one's own. A regular dental checkup is the best way to identify signs of oral cancer so we can refer the patient to an oncologist for further testing and treatment. This is necessary for ensuring the patient does not have a major disease being left untreated, causing untold health consequences.
At Vineyard Hills Dental Care, we will also use a dental cleaning and check-up to provide you with information regarding how to brush and floss properly and the type of food you should and should not eat. For example, you may be unaware of how pH levels in drinks can impact your teeth. Things that are acidic, like soda, have a low pH level and can literally dissolve your dentin until your teeth are being eaten away. This is a serious condition and one that can impact the health and longevity of your teeth. To learn more about this and other ways to keep your teeth healthy, call us at (925) 443-7645 and schedule an appointment with our dental office.
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