Preventive Care

Deep cleaning is suggested to patients suffering from periodontal disease or gum disease. Typically, gum disease manifests in the form of deepened gum pockets around the teeth area, which allow tartar depositions to accumulate below the gum line. Our dentists can detect the presence of these gum pockets either through a full-mouth examination (recommending deep cleaning if they notice gum pockets to be more than 4 mm deep) or an X-ray that reveals bone loss in the dental structure.

Deep cleaning helps remove bacteria or plaque present under the gums to prevent the occurrence of bone loss that can otherwise loosen the teeth structure. It can also pose a potential threat leading to health conditions like heart disease or diabetes. The deep cleaning dental treatment at the Rowlett Dentist includes scaling and root planning procedures. During scaling the dental tartar deposited on the tooth surface is scaled away, while root planning involves smoothing out the root surface and removing infected tooth structures.

The extent to which the gum disease has spread determines the number of dental visits you’ll be making. It may be spread across 1-4 sessions, depending on the individual. While most patients may not need additional active treatments post deep cleaning, they may have to come in for a follow-up periodontal maintenance cleaning session at about 3-6 month intervals.

Kids take time to pick up and get used to the know-how of brushing as well as flossing. Delay in getting started with good dental habits can make them vulnerable to tooth decay and cavities. While ensuring that they practice dental hygiene habits regularly is definitely an important role of the parent, taking them to the dentist for regular check-ups is just as important. Dental sealants and Fluoride treatment are the most effective ways to prevent cavities and tooth decay in young children. In fact, even babies are susceptible to baby bottle decay, meaning you should be taking them to the dentist’s office after they start growing teeth.

We at The Rowlett Dentist carry out regular cleanings and check-ups to look out for signs of tooth decay or other issues that point toward dental structure development problems. As children start growing, the need for dental care, including dental sealants and fluoride treatments, may arise. Fluoride treatments make use of fluoride minerals that help strengthen the tooth enamel. Dental sealants, on the other hand, help in sealing the molar teeth to prevent cavity-causing bacteria and plaque from depositing on the chewing surface’s crevices. The Rowlett Dentist uses a gentle and caring approach while taking care of your kids’ dental needs.

Statistics report that one American dies from oral cancer every hour. Furthermore, just half the patients who are diagnosed with the disease manage to survive for more than five years. In a predominant number of cases, the cancer is only detected in its later stages. Thankfully, screening tests can help detect the cancer, and if detected in its early stages, the survival rate of the individual can be increased up to 80 percent or higher.

Oral cancer screening should in fact, be a part of your usual dental check-ups. The screening is carried out to identify any changes that occur in the tissue lining of the tongue, mouth and lips through tactile and visual examination. In case the screening shows the presence of abnormalities, a small sample of tissue is retrieved for testing in the laboratory for biopsy.

People with a high risk of oral cancer may be more likely to benefit from oral cancer screening. Factors that can increase the risk of oral cancer include:

• Tobacco use of any kind, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes or chewing tobacco.

• Heavy or regular alcohol consumption for many years.

• Previous history of oral cancer diagnosis.

Ask us whether oral cancer screening is appropriate for you and about ways you can reduce your risk of oral cancer. An early diagnosis, along with thorough screening is one of the best chances that you have against oral cancer.