Dental exams and teeth cleaning in Jupiter, Florida

Whether your last visit was five months ago or five years ago, we can help you get your smile back on track so you can speak, laugh and chew foods with ease and confidence.

We offer a comfortable, accepting environment where our patients are encouraged to ask questions and need not worry about being embarrassed of the condition of their teeth. Our goal is to obtain your trust so you put your dental health in our hands for years to come.

When you arrive at Jupiter Dental Group for the first time, our dentist will examine you for signs of:

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

Teeth Cleaning in Jupiter

Professional teeth cleanings are the one dental procedure people don't seem to mind. Everyone loves that fresh feeling they get when know their teeth are thoroughly cleaned and polished. But teeth cleanings have another purpose as well.

Professional teeth cleanings remove cavity-causing plaque and calculus. Plaque, a sticky, colorless film loaded with bacteria, coats your teeth every time you eat or drink. The bacteria in plaque uses the sugars in food and beverages to produce acids that erode the tooth enamel. This results in tooth decay and cavities, which are literally holes in the teeth.

That's the reason mothers throughout the decades have warned their kids away from candy and sugary sodas and encouraged them to brush after every meal. Unfortunately, those precautions won't eliminate all of the plaque that clings to teeth.

In less than 24 hours, plaque hardens into a substance called calculus, also known as tartar. Only a professional teeth cleaning can remove plaque and calculus from the surfaces of the teeth and in hard-to-reach places between the teeth.

In addition to causing cavities, the accumulation of plaque and calculus can allow bacteria to attack the portions of the teeth that lie beneath the gum. This can lead to periodontal disease, also known as gum disease.

Although periodontal disease can have no symptoms at all, most people realize they have the disease when the gums become red and swollen or bleed when brushed and flossed. That's an indication that the gums are infected.

The first stage of periodontal disease is gingivitis. It's only during this stage that any damage caused by gum disease can be reversed. At the first sign of gingivitis, you should call the dentist for a hygiene treatment to prevent the disease from worsening.

Later stages of the disease are more difficult to treat and damage to the teeth and gums is irreversible. If you've been diagnosed with more advanced gum disease, your dentist may recommend you see a periodontist for treatment.

The type of teeth cleaning the dentist will recommend depends on the health of your teeth and gums. Here are some examples of the types of dental treatment for hygiene:

Prophylaxis

This is the cleaning procedure for people who only need plaque, calculus and surface stains removed from the exposed surfaces of their teeth and along the gum line. Also known as a healthy-mouth cleaning, this type of teeth cleaning is most often covered by dental insurance.

Gingivitis Therapy

At the first sign of gum disease, your hygienist or dentist can provide additional treatment to remove the plaque just below the gum line and halt the progress of gum disease.

Scaling & Root Planing

For more advanced cases of gum disease, your dentist may recommend scaling & root planing. This is a non-surgical treatment that removes the harmful bacteria beneath the gum line and smooths out exposed root surfaces. An antibiotic may be applied to the gums as well to treat the infection.

This procedure may require more than one visit to your dentist. Afterward, the dentist may prescribe a maintenance routine, including more frequent professional cleanings, to keep the disease under control.

Cleaning Teeth Below the Gum Line

Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. The same bacteria that produces tooth-decaying acids also attacks the ligaments, tissue and bone that hold teeth in place under the gums. As a result, the gum tissue pulls way from the tooth, creating “pockets” where more bacteria can gather.

Once the disease takes hold, it is chronic and irreversible. It can be managed but not cured.

If you've been diagnosed with gum disease, you are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), half of Americans over the age of 30 have some form of gum disease. The amount jumps to 70 percent for people over the age of 65.

Because it often has no symptoms, many people don't realize they have the disease until it worsens, causing the gum line to recede, the teeth to shift out of position and bad breath.

Our dentist and hygienist at Jupiter Dental Group will be happy to answer any questions you have.

Bad Breath Management

If you have bad breath, there's a good chance you have dental decay.

While bad breath can be related to the foods you eat, it's more often caused by germs in your mouth. When bacteria begins the process of dental decay, the damaged cells release an unpleasant odor, known as halitosis. More than 25 percent of the people in the United State suffer from halitosis.

Fortunately, your dentist can address this problem with professional teeth cleanings and gum treatments. To keep bad breath under control, the patient must follow up with a diligent routine of brushing, flossing and rinsing with a mouthwash after every meal.

Oral Cancer Screening

As part of your first visit to our office, we will offer an oral cancer screening. These quick and easy screenings have the potential to save lives and is recommended for everyone over the age of 18. It allows the dentist to detect signs of oral cancer that can't be seen with the naked eye.

Oral cancer often has no symptoms in its early stages, which makes it particularly dangerous. By the time symptoms, the disease has probably advanced and metastasized to another location. The death rate for oral cancer is higher than the mortality rates for more commonly known cancers including cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, testicular cancer and thyroid cancer.

Teeth Grinding & Night Guards

Teeth grinding is a common condition that affects up to 40 million Americans. The medical term for teeth grinding is bruxism. It is often caused by stress but can also be the result of crooked teeth or a “bad bite.” Over time, it can wear down the enamel of your teeth.

Our dentist will look for signs of teeth grinding and may ask you if you have any of these symptoms:

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

If the dentist sees indications of bruxism, you may be fitted with a mouth guard to protect your teeth while you sleep.

Call Today to Schedule a Dental Exam

Call Jupiter Dental Group today at (561) 459-1399. We will schedule a convenient time for you to come in for a comprehensive dental exam, the first step in putting your dental health back on track.