We understand that going to the Dentist isn’t everyone’s favorite thing to do for multiple reasons. That’s why we believe regular Dental cleanings are extremely important.
Getting a regular dental cleaning can help your overall health. The plaque and bacteria in our mouth is constantly being swallowed and goes into our bodies. Studies have shown a connection between oral and overall health. Regular dental cleanings may help lower your risk for some diseases, like heart disease and stroke. Many medical conditions, some of them life-threatening, can be detected in their early stages by your dentist during a routine oral exam.
Plaque is the leading cause of tooth decay. Plaque can be removed by proper brushing and flossing, however if it sits on your teeth long enough, it breaks down our enamel and becomes a harder substance. The breakdown of enamel is called a cavity or tooth decay.
The minerals in our saliva turn the plaque into calculus. Our bodies believe that calculus is a foreign substance and starts to protect itself by dissolving the bone around the calculus that is present. That is called bone loss. Once bone is lost we cannot re-grow it. If the bone is not maintained by removing the foreign substance or calculus then the bone will keep reabsorbing and Periodontal Disease becomes more evident. People with severe Periodontal Disease usually end up losing their teeth due to the bone not being able to hold the teeth in place.
Regular dental cleanings can actually help prevent larger treatment needs. When areas of decay are smaller they are easier to take care of and therefore, less costly. As Dr. Ross always says cavities do not get smaller. If they are not taken care of early, they can become larger fillings which leaves little tooth structure remaining which might possibly require root canals, crowns, or even extractions. Keeping your original teeth is always the best option, but if a tooth is harboring too much bacteria and there is not a way to save the tooth, then extraction is the best option. When a person needs to replace a tooth it is always more costly than saving the tooth originally.
Ross Family Dentistry has two amazing Dental Assistants.
Sandy has been with Ross Family Dentistry for 3 years. She has been a Dental Assistant for 25 years.
Natalie has been with Ross Family Dentistry for 1 year. She has been a Dental Assistant for 8 years.
