Preventive Dentistry

Preventive dentistry maintains good dental health through good nutrition, daily tooth brushing and flossing, and routine dental check-ups every 6 months to remove plaque and tartar.

During your visit, our hygienist or dentist will check for tooth decay, broken or leaky restorations, gum disease, oral cancer, toothache and other dental problems such as night grinding and clenching or bad breath.

Part of preventive dentistry also involves the early detection of dental diseases through taking dental X-rays. We take X-rays only when necessary.

We use lead aprons to protect the neck and body of patients. As our clinic uses only digital X-ray machines, the radiation is minimal. The amount of radiation from one dental X-ray is approximately equivalent to the amount of radiation you receive during a 1-2 hour flight.

Tooth Brushing and Flossing

In addition to the scaling and polishing you will get every six months from the oral hygienist or dentist, brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily can help prevent gum disease. The first sign of gum disease is bleeding from brushing and flossing. Healthy gums do not bleed.

Gum Disease

Gum disease is caused by prolonged accumulation of bacteria under the gums, resulting in inflammation of the gums and underlying bone. Symptoms of gum disease include bleeding and swelling of gums, shrinking of the gum line resulting in “longer looking teeth”, teeth shifting position, loose teeth, and bad breath. Gum disease may or may not be painful. It is most common in adults and is responsible for majority of tooth loss.

Tooth Desensitization

Gum recession resulting from gum disease or incorrect vigorous tooth-brushing will cause tooth sensitivity. This can be treated by applying a few coats of desensitizing agents on the sensitive areas and home use of toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride treatment is another form of preventive dentistry. Fluoride gel and mouthwash help to harden the teeth surface, which is prone to tooth decay. The hardened surface makes it more difficult for bacteria acid to penetrate the tooth. We offer fluoride treatment to patients susceptible to tooth decay.

ICON ®

Icon is the latest addition to the tools used in preventive dentistry. Icon uses a clear resin infiltration technique, which can stop the progress of an early tooth decay—before it requires drilling and filling. This breakthrough treatment preserves healthy tooth structure, prolongs the life of natural teeth and is completed in just one visit, painlessly! Icon also helps to remove unsightly white spot lesions, especially those which appear after the removal of braces.