Maintain Your Oral Health with Regular Dental Cleaning & X-Rays at Dentist of Margate
Regular dental cleanings and X-rays are essential for maintaining optimal oral health and preventing future dental issues. At Dentist of Margate, we provide comprehensive cleaning services and state-of-the-art X-ray technology to ensure thorough care for our patients. This preventive service is recommended for patients of all ages, as part of a routine dental care regimen.
What are Dental Cleanings?
Dental cleanings, also known as prophylaxis, are a critical part of maintaining oral health. Performed by a qualified dental hygienist, these cleanings go beyond the simple brushing and flossing you do at home. The primary aim is to thoroughly clean the teeth, removing plaque (a soft, sticky film of bacteria), tartar (hardened plaque), and stains that have accumulated on the tooth surface.
Steps Involved in Dental Cleaning:
- Exam: Before the cleaning process begins, the dental hygienist uses a small mirror to check around your teeth and gums for any signs of gingivitis (inflamed gums) or other potential concerns.
- Removing Plaque and Tartar: Using a scaler, the hygienist will carefully remove plaque and tartar around the gum line, as well as between the teeth. You may hear scraping, but this is normal. The more tartar there is in your mouth, the more time they’ll need to scrape a particular spot.
- Toothpaste Cleaning: After your teeth are tartar-free, the hygienist brushes them with a high-powered electric brush, which makes a grinding noise. While it sounds scary, it’s a great way to get a deep clean and remove any tartar left behind from the scaler. Professional cleanings use toothpaste that smells and tastes like regular toothpaste, though you can often choose between flavors. However, it has a gritty consistency that gently scrubs your teeth.
- Expert Flossing: Whether you floss regularly at home or not, nothing beats an expert flossing session. Your dental hygienist can get deep between your teeth and locate any potential trouble spots where you might bleed at the gums. This might also remove any leftover plaque or toothpaste from earlier in the cleaning process.
- Rinsing: Next, you will rinse out your mouth to get rid of any debris. Your hygienist will usually give you a rinse that contains liquid fluoride.
- Fluoride Treatment: The final step is a fluoride treatment. This treatment is used as a protectant for your teeth to help fight against cavities for several months. You might be given a flavored gel or foam placed into a mouthpiece that fits over your teeth. It’s usually left on your teeth for one minute. Aside from this treatment, sometimes fluoride varnish is painted onto the teeth; it hardens when it comes in contact with saliva, so you can eat and drink immediately afterwards.
Benefits of Regular Dental Cleanings:
- Prevents Diseases in the Rest of the Body: Dental cleanings can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Many medical conditions, some life-threatening, can be detected in their early stages during a routine oral exam.
- Detection of Oral Cancer: With every dental cleaning, you are also screened for oral cancer, which is highly curable if diagnosed early.
- Maintaining Good Oral Health: Our dental team compares your current dental health state to previous results, helping to detect any progression in dental diseases, ensuring maintaining good oral health.
Dental X-Rays in Margate, FL
Dental X-rays, also known as radiographs, are essential diagnostic tools used in dentistry to provide detailed images of the different structures of the mouth that are not visible during a standard oral exam. These images help our team assess the overall health of your teeth, the roots, the jaw placement, and the facial bone composition. Dental X-rays are crucial for detecting and diagnosing a variety of dental issues, including decay, tumors, cysts, and bone loss, as well as for assessing conditions such as impacted teeth and dental injuries.
Types of Dental X-Rays:
- Bitewing X-Rays: Show the upper and lower back teeth in a single view. They are used to check for decay between the teeth and to show how well the upper and lower teeth line up.
- Periapical X-Rays: Focus on one or two complete teeth from the root to crown.
- Panoramic X-Rays: Show the entire mouth area — all the teeth in both the upper and lower jaws — on a single X-ray. This type of X-ray is useful for detecting the position of fully emerged as well as emerging teeth, can identify impacted teeth, and help diagnose tumors.
- Occlusal X-Rays: Track the development and placement of an entire arch of teeth in either the upper or lower jaw.
Dental X-Ray Process:
- Preparation: You will be draped with a lead apron to protect your body from radiation. This is a standard safety measure to minimize exposure to the minimal amount of radiation used in dental X-rays.
- Imaging: Our team utilizes advanced digital X-ray technology to capture detailed images of your teeth. Digital X-rays reduce radiation exposure compared to traditional film X-rays and provide immediate images for quicker assessment.
- Analysis: Our team examines these digital images to identify any hidden issues beneath the surface of your gums and teeth. This step is crucial for planning effective treatment strategies and for preventive care.
Benefits of Dental X-Rays:
- Detecting Hidden Problems: Dental X-rays reveal hidden structures, such as wisdom teeth, identify early signs of decay that cannot be seen with a visual examination alone, and show the extent of potential periodontal disease.
- Preventive Care: Regular use of dental X-rays can help our team prevent dental problems from worsening by identifying issues early on.
- Diagnostic Tool: X-rays assist in the diagnosis of pathological changes in the oral cavity such as cysts, tumors, and systemic diseases.
Safety of Dental X-Rays
Dental X-rays produce a low level of radiation and are considered safe for adults and children. At Dentist of Margate, we take every precaution to limit the patient’s exposure to radiation by using modern fast film that cuts down exposure time, proper shielding, and limiting the frequency of radiography as per medical necessity.
Why Choose Dentist of Margate
We are dedicated to providing personalized, high-quality dental care using the latest technology in a friendly and comfortable environment. Our team of experienced professionals is committed to ensuring that you receive the best possible care and leave our office with a healthier smile.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
Maintain your oral health by scheduling your next dental cleaning and X-ray at Dentist of Margate. Give us a call at (954) 866-8355. Our team is ready to help you achieve and maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.
