Preventative Dentistry

Close
Enter your
text here

Preventative Dentistry Westland, MIThe goal of preventative dentistry is to help you avoid tooth decay, gum disease, and other issues that compromise oral health.

Our Westland dentists offer a variety of preventative dentistry services to help you maintain a beautiful healthy smile. To learn more about the dental services we offer at Parkside Dental Team, click on the links below.

Our Preventative Dentistry Options:

Teeth Cleanings

Brushing and flossing your teeth aren’t enough to fully protect your oral health. You’ll also need to make sure you schedule a teeth cleaning with one of our dentists every 6 months. Only a dental professional will be able to remove hardened plaque called tartar so you can avoid tooth decay and gum disease.

Deep Cleaning

If you haven’t been keeping up with routine teeth cleanings every 6 months, our dentists may recommend gum disease treatment. During a dental deep cleaning, we clean beneath the gum line to mitigate the effects of periodontal disease.

Gum Disease Treatments

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 47.2% of Americans age 30 and older have periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is caused by untreated plaque buildup on your teeth and gums. Our dentists can delay the damaging effects of gum disease through scaling and root planing.

Oral Examinations

We recommend you schedule a dental exam every 6 months so we can monitor your oral health. During your appointment, we’ll be able to discover gum and teeth problems before they threaten your health. Unlike other dentists, we provide comprehensive dental care by seeing how soft tissues and muscles affect your oral health.

Dental Sealants

Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If your child has deep grooves and pits on the chewing surfaces of their molars (back teeth), our dentists may recommend dental sealants.

Oral Cancer Screening

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 37,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral cancer each year. Approximately 8,000 of these diagnoses result in death. Fortunately, our Westland dentists use oral cancer screenings to catch mouth cancer in its early stages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it really necessary to visit the dentist twice a year?

Yes! For most patients, we do recommend scheduling bi-annual visits in accordance with the American Dental Association. The professional cleaning our patients receive with us is more thorough than what they can achieve at home, and is key for maintaining a healthy mouth. 

We also use these visits to examine each patients’ teeth and gums so that we can identify any potential issues before they become serious. In fact, we may encourage patients with certain risk factors for gum disease, such as smoking, a family history of gum disease, or diabetes, to visit us more frequently.

How long does a routine visit take?

For patients who have healthy teeth and gums, the average visit to our office can be completed in less than an hour. This visit includes an examination, thorough cleaning, and screening for oral cancer.

Can problems with my teeth and gums affect the rest of my body?

Yes! Unhealthy teeth and gums impact more than just your smile. Poor oral hygiene can cause bacteria to build up in the mouth, which may lead to tooth decay, gum irritation, and eventually gum disease (periodontitis). 

Periodontitis has been associated with a host of health conditions. This may include the accumulation of plaque in the arteries which may lead to heart attack or stroke, lung disease, and diabetes.

Is it possible to treat gum disease at home with good oral hygiene?

While a good oral hygiene routine can certainly help prevent and reverse early stages of gum disease, advanced periodontitis requires treatment in our office. 

This is one of the many reasons it’s so important to visit the dentist at least twice a year. Early intervention is key to preventing tooth loss and bone loss that may result from advanced gum disease.