Dental exams and teeth cleaning in Cape Coral, Florida

Everyone wants to speak, eat and laugh without feeling embarrassed about the condition of his or her teeth. Our team is committed to helping you do all of those things with self-assurance.

Even if it's been several years since your last dental visit, we are eager to help you resolve any dental issues you might have and be able to smile again with confidence.

During your first dental exam at Towncare Dental Associates of Cape Coral, we will check you for:

• Tooth decay
• Teeth grinding
• Bone loss
• Oral cancer
• Periodontal (gum) disease

We've spent years building trusting relationships with our patients by creating an environment in which they feel comfortable, are encouraged to ask questions and know they are getting the best dental care possible.

Teeth Cleaning in Cape Coral

Most of the calls to our office are from people wanted to get their teeth cleaned. Patients love the refreshing sensation after having their teeth cleaned by professionals. However, professional teeth cleanings have a much more important purpose.

Professional teeth cleanings are essential to removing the plaque and calculus on your teeth that cause decay. Plaque is a film of bacteria that clings to your teeth every time you eat and drink. Within 24 hours, this plaque hardens into a substance known as calculus, or tartar.

The bacteria in plaque and calculus transforms the sugars in food and drinks into an acid that erodes the tooth enamel. The erosion process is what is commonly called dental decay. It can lead to cavities, which are basically holes in your teeth. This is why dentists incessantly stress the need to brush and floss your teeth after every meal.

Brushing and flossing help keep plaque and tartar at bay. However, only professional teeth cleanings can remove all of the plaque and tartar, especially in those hard-to-reach places between your teeth.

While professional cleanings are an effective way to remove the cavity-causing plaque and tartar on the surface of your teeth, they are also critical to preventing periodontal, or gum, disease. Just as bacteria can attach the enamel of teeth above the gum line, it can seep below the gum line and cause gum disease, the major reason that teeth fall out.

The first stage of gum disease is called gingivitis. Although gum disease may not have any symptoms, red or puffy gums and gums that bleed when you brush and floss are usually the first symptoms people notice. A hygienist or dentist can treat this early stage of gum disease and reverse any damage that has occurred.

When gum disease is more advanced, your dentist may recommend that you visit gum specialist known as a periodontist for more aggressive treatments. There are different types of professional teeth cleanings based on condition of the patient's teeth and gums:

• Prophylaxis: This cleaning is for people who only require that plaque, calculus and surface stains be removed from the surface of the teeth above the gums. This is the most common kind of cleaning and the one most often covered by dental insurance.
• Gingivitis Therapy: Treatment for gingivitis, the first and only reversible stage of gum disease, involves removing plaque and tartar on the visible surface of the teeth as well as below the gum line.
• Scaling & Root Planing: In cases where the patient has an active gum infection, the dentist may recommend scaling & root planing to remove the bacteria that has accumulated below the gum line. This is a non-surgical treatment that may involved the application of an antibiotic to kill the bacteria below the gum. The exposed root surfaces are also smoothed out during the SRP to eliminate places where bacteria can hide. Depending on the severity of the infection, scaling & root planning may require multiple visits to the dentist. Afterward, you dentist may recommend more frequent professional cleanings to help manage the disease.

Cleaning Teeth Below the Gum Line

If you've been diagnosed with periodontal disease, you're not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of Americans over the age of 30 have some form of gum disease and that figure jumps to 70 percent if you are over the age of 65.

Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults because the same bacteria that causes cavities can also attack the ligaments, tissue and bone that hold your teeth in place under the gums. As a result, the gum tissue pulls away from the tooth, creating “pockets” of empty space where more bacteria can gather.

While bleeding gums is generally the first indication of periodontal disease, people will notice their gum line receding, teeth shifting out of position and bad breath as the disease progresses.

While scaling & root planing and other periodontal treatments are able to remove bacteria, they can’t repair the damage already caused by gum disease. Just like diabetes and other chronic diseases, gum disease is a chronic, systemic disease that can be managed but not reversed.

If you suspect you have gum disease, call Towncare Dental Associates of Cape Coral. Our dentist and hygienist at will be happy to answer any questions you have.

Bad Breath Management

It may not be the pizza loaded with garlic you ate for lunch that is causing your bad breath. Halitosis, the medical term for bad breath, affects 25 percent of Americans each year. It is caused by the same bacteria that causes tooth decay. As the tooth begins to decay, the damaged cells release an unpleasant odor.

A regular regimen of brushing, flossing and rinsing with mouth wash can help control your bad breath but the surest remedy is to visit your dentist for a professional cleaning and gum treatment.

Oral Cancer Screening

On your first visit to our office, we will offer you an oral cancer screening to detect signs of oral cancer that can't be seen with the naked eye. This life-saving screening is quick and painless.

Oral cancer often has no symptoms in its early stages. By the time a lump is detected, the cancer probably has spread to other locations with serious implications. The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of more commonly known cancers including cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, testicular cancer and thyroid cancer.

Early detection is tantamount to saving lives. We recommend everyone over the age of 18 gets screened.

Teeth Grinding & Night Guards

That habitual grinding of your teeth in your sleep not only annoys your spouse, it may have more serious consequences. Chronic teeth grinding, known as bruxism, can wear down the enamel on your teeth.Signs of bruxism include:

• Morning headaches
• Waking with a sore jaw
• Chipped or cracked teeth
• Tooth sensitivity

Often caused by stress, bruxism affects up to 40 million Americans. Your dentist may fit you for a mouth guard to wear while you're sleeping to prevent you from grinding your teeth.

Call Today to Schedule a Dental Exam

We offer convenient days and times for your comprehensive dental exam. Call Towncare Dental Associates of Cape Coral today at (239) 214-2982.