Family Dentistry

If you see your dentist at least twice a year for exams and cleanings, you’ll be taking an important step toward preventing oral diseases and the need for more involved treatment. This type of routine care, in combination with a robust home oral hygiene routine, is important for minimizing oral bacteria and monitoring your smile for any concerning changes. If it has been more than six months since your most recent dental checkup and cleaning, contact our office to schedule an appointment and get back on track with your preventive care.

Importance Of Routine Dental Care

Routine dental care, including cleanings and exams, is tremendously important for maintaining a healthy smile. Professional cleanings by an experienced dental hygienist eliminate any plaque and tartar accumulation, which can happen even in patients who are diligent about their oral hygiene practices.

At these check-ups, your dentist also examines your teeth and gums, looking for signs of issues like tooth decay, gum disease, and even oral cancer. Identifying such conditions in their earliest stages improves the chances that conservative treatments will resolve the problem.

When you see your dentist on a regular basis, it also helps to establish a baseline of your oral health. This can be tremendously valuable in cases of dental emergencies, as your dentist will have a benchmark for measuring any changes.

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Exams And Cleanings: What To Expect

The first visit with our office will take approximately 2 hours and subsequent appointments are routinely 1 hour. Scaling and root planing can take up to 2 hours. This may vary, depending on individual patient factors, however.

We are committed to making your experience at CJ Dental as relaxing as possible. Our team members are conscientious about using a gentle touch when cleaning or examining your smile.

Depending on your needs, the dentist may also recommend other types of preventive care, such as fluoride treatments or sealants.

Some patients have anxiety about seeing the dentist. In some cases, it is so severe that it can interfere with them seeking routine preventative care. CJ dental offers various levels of anti anxiety and oral sedation (for adults) and nitrous oxide (for all ages). Come see us to see if this option might benefit you.

Maintaining Your Home Oral Hygiene Routine

Of course, the professional care that you receive at CJ Dental is only one component of your oral health maintenance plan. Your day-to-day oral hygiene habits at home set the foundation for your healthy smile.

At a minimum, your home oral hygiene regimen should include brushing, flossing and an anti-bacterial mouthwash. There are many resources that can be used additionally for certain patients, check in with your dentist or hygienist to see what is recommended for you.

FAQs

Why should I go to the dentist regularly?

Patients should see their dentist twice each year for a number of reasons. First of all, if a dentist is examining your teeth every six months, it will be much easier to diagnose any oral diseases in their earliest stages when they can still be treated relatively easily. In the case of oral cancer, early diagnosis can be a life-saving intervention, as the prognosis for this disease is quite poor when it has spread to nearby tissues.

How often should I brush and floss?

You should be brushing twice each day and flossing daily. In order to get the maximum benefit from your oral hygiene habits, make sure that you are using a soft toothbrush. Brush for two minutes each time, using proper technique, like angling the brush along the gumline to disrupt plaque formation. If you have any questions about your oral hygiene regimen, feel free to check in with your dentist or one of our hygienists for further direction.

How often should I have a cleaning?

You should have your teeth cleaned at least twice each year, typically in conjunction with your semi-annual dental exams. Even if you brush and floss consistently, you can still accumulate plaque and tartar, particularly in the areas where it’s difficult to clean thoroughly, like the rear of the jaw or along the gumline. Hygienists can use their professional instruments to clean the areas of your smile that you can’t reach and to remove any tartar, which can’t be eliminated by brushing and flossing alone.

What if I have a dental emergency?

If you have a dental emergency, use your best judgment. If you experience swelling that causes difficulty swallowing, puffiness around your eyes, swelling under the tongue or you have a fever over 100.5 F, you should see an oral surgeon promptly. If it is after hours, proceed to the nearest emergency room. For problems that are urgent but not the level of an ER visit, call our office. Our schedule is structured to accommodate emergency appointments. Even if the dental emergency happens after regular business hours, you can still reach an on-call staff member via our answering service. We can give you guidance about how to proceed until we can see you in our office and treat the problem.