Overview
Hygiene
Check-ups are necessary because dental hygiene is essential to maintain optimum oral health and treat issues as they arise. We don’t all need significant treatment, but we all need the confidence that our dentist will treat each patient, no matter how minor the treatment, with the same precision as they would a complex task.
We meticulously clean, polish, and examine your teeth during every visit. We help patients develop proper oral hygiene habits for home care. We evaluate your hygiene techniques and adjust your routine as needed. Our doctor and hygienists suggest preventative measures like sealants or nightguards. These protect against bruxism, TMJ, and other dental problems.
If we feel that you are suffering from gingivitis or more severe gum disease, we may recommend deep scaling or root planing. These measures can be instrumental in preventing bone loss and helping you to keep your natural teeth.
Oral Cancer Screenings
During your regular dental check-ups, your hygienist will check oral tissues for lumps, red or white patches or recurring sore areas and call these areas to the attention of Dr. Blalock for proper evaluation.
Screening for early changes in oral tissue helps detect cancer when treatment is more successful. Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption (30 drinks or more weekly) cause the highest oral cancer risk. This combination triggers about 75 percent of oral cancers diagnosed in the United States. Other lifestyle and environmental factors can also increase your risk of oral cancer.
Deep Scaling and Root Planing
Deep scaling and root planing is a non-surgical dental hygiene procedure in which the hygienist removes plaque and tartar from below the gum line. Root surfaces are cleaned and smoothed with specially designed instruments. It is important to remove the plaque and tartar from these pockets because aside from the bacterial toxins that irritate the gums, plaque and the rough surfaces of tartar make it easier for bacteria to gain a foothold.