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If you give your smile the proper care, it can last a lifetime. In order to protect and preserve your smile, there are four habits you need to maintain: First, eat a well-balanced diet to bolster your immune system. Second, limit your intake of sugary foods as much as possible. Third, brush, floss, and rinse your smile with antibacterial mouthwash every day. Finally, it’s essential to visit our dentist in Oak Harbor for regular hygiene visits at least twice a year.
A hygiene visit is also known as a dental checkup or dental exam. Even if you take exceptional care of your smile at home, you need to have regular hygiene visits because we provide services that you won’t get anywhere else.
Your Hygiene Visit
Your hygiene visit begins with a thorough professional cleaning from our dental hygienist. This is necessary to remove plaque and tartar from your smile. Plaque is a gooey substance that forms on your teeth after you eat something.
When plaque remains on your teeth, it can turn into tartar, which is also known as calcified plaque. Tartar is a rough substance which cannot be removed through regular brushing. Our hygienist uses dental instruments to remove plaque. If plaque is allowed to remain on your teeth, it can attract bacteria, which can lead to cavities and gum disease.
Gum Disease — An Epidemic in America
Almost half of Americans over the age of 30 suffer from gum disease, a nasty infection that can cause unpleasant symptoms including bleeding, bad breath, swelling, and soreness. When gum disease is allowed to evolve to its advanced stages, it can cause you to lose one or more teeth. We offer effective treatments for gum disease at Whidbey Dental Associates, but it’s best to avoid gum disease altogether by providing your smile with the proper care.
In addition to gum disease, tooth decay is another major infection that threatens your smile. Like gum disease, tooth decay is caused by bacteria. Regular hygiene visits help prevent tooth decay, which is also referred to as cavities or dental caries. During your dental cleaning, our hygienist removes plaque, tartar, and other debris which can otherwise feed cavity-causing bacteria. At the end of your cleaning, our hygienist will polish your teeth. This leaves them looking nice and it also makes it harder for plaque to stick to your teeth.
A Complete Examination from Our Dentist
During your hygiene visit, our dentist will give your teeth a complete examination which includes going over your x-rays. Your dentist will check for signs of potential issues that could impact your oral health if not treated in a timely manner. You’ll also receive a full screening for oral cancer. Early detection of oral cancer is crucial for improving a patient’s survival rate.
Your Full Service Dentist in Oak Harbor
Regular hygiene visits will help keep your smile healthy and your breath fresh. Call to schedule your next hygiene visit today. Feel free to inquire about how dental implants and other services such as a smile makeover can help you achieve the smile you’ve been dreaming about.