Dental exams and teeth cleaning in Miami, Florida

Don’t worry about whether it’s been a few months or a few years since you last saw a dentist. We understand that everyone who cares about their dental health wants to speak, eat, and smile with confidence, without feeling embarrassed about the condition of their teeth.

During your first dental exam at Towncare Dental of London Square, our dentist will look for signs of tooth problems. These include:

• Tooth decay
• Changes in tooth color
• Toothaches or mouth pain
• Teeth grinding, which is called bruxism
• Chips or cracks in teeth
• Bone loss
• Oral cancer
• Bleeding or receding gums, which can indicate periodontal (gum) disease

Even if you’ve never visited our office, we want you to feel comfortable here and welcome any questions you might have. Many of our patients have been coming to us for years because they trust us to keep their teeth, gums, and mouths healthy. We look forward to building that same relationship with every patient.

Teeth Cleaning in West Kendall

A professional teeth cleaning is a common reason that people contact our office. These cleanings go beyond the twice-a-day brushing and flossing at home to remove cavity-causing plaque and calculus, also called tartar.

Plaque is a colorless yet sticky film of bacteria that builds on your teeth whenever you eat or drink. The bacteria in plaque uses the sugars in food and drinks to produce acids that erode tooth enamel. This causes dental decay and a cavity.

Brushing and flossing your teeth daily, especially after meals, does help reduce plaque, but our at-home dental care can’t remove all plaque. What’s more, plaque actually hardens in less than 24 hours into a substance called calculus or tartar. This “extra-strength plaque” is impossible to remove at home.

Only a dental professional can remove stubborn plaque and calculus or tartar from tooth surfaces and in those hard-to-reach places between teeth. We offer several types of dental cleanings depending on the health of your teeth and gums. Here are a few examples:

Prophylaxis:

Also called a “prophy,” this healthy-mouth cleaning is the type most often covered by dental insurance. It removes plaque on the teeth and at the gum line, as well as calculus (tartar) and surface stains.

Gingivitis Therapy:

Gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums, is the first stage of gum disease, also called periodontal disease. If your gums are red or puffy, or bleed when you brush or floss, you likely have gingivitis, which occurs when the bacteria that cause plaque attacks your teeth below the gum line.

Fortunately, gingivitis is reversible. During gingivitis therapy, a skilled hygienist or dentist provides additional services to remove the plaque below the gum line.

Scaling & Root Planing:

If you have more advanced gum disease, you need treatment to remove harmful bacteria both above and below the gum line. Scaling & root planing (SRP) is a nonsurgical treatment that removes this bacteria and smooths out exposed root surfaces. Depending on your particular needs, SRP may take more than one office visit and may involve applying an antibiotic.

Also, the dentist may prescribe a periodontal maintenance routine afterward to provide cleanings at more frequent intervals.

Cleaning Teeth Below the Gum Line

Cleaning teeth below the gum line tackles periodontal disease, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Periodontal disease is a chronic, systemic disease. It’s reversible only its earliest stage, which is gingivitis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of Americans over the age of 30 have some form of periodontal or gum disease. This number jumps to 70 percent for people over the age of 65.

Just as the bacteria that causes plaque breaks down sugar to create acids that attack the teeth, this bacteria can attack the ligaments, tissue, and bone that hold your teeth in place beneath the gums. This causes gum tissue to pull away from the tooth, creating “pockets” where more bacteria can gather.

Sometimes periodontal disease has no symptoms. Other people notice blood when they brush or floss. As the bacteria progresses, some notice receding gums, bad breath, or their teeth shifting out of position.

Good dental hygiene and regular cleanings can prevent and treat gingivitis. Unfortunately, once the condition has progressed to periodontal disease, it cannot be reversed.

Periodontal treatment such as scaling & root planing can remove the bacteria and help manage the disease to avoid additional damage, however.

Our dentist and hygienist at Towncare Dental of London Square will be glad to answer any questions you have about gingivitis or periodontal disease in depth.

Bad Breath Management

Bad breath gets laughs in movies and TV shows, but in real life, it’s not only embarrassing but can indicate a serious problem. The medical term for bad breath is halitosis, and it affects 25 percent of the U.S. population each year.

Sometimes bad breath can be related to what you ate recently, such as garlicky foods. But persistent bad breath can signal that you have dental decay. That’s right—the bacteria in your mouth that causes decay can release a foul odor.

Fortunately, a professional teeth cleaning and gum treatment can make your mouth feel and smell fresh again. Following up with proper at-home dental care, such as brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash after meals, also helps keep bad breath under control.

Oral Cancer Screening

We offer an oral cancer screening as part of your first visit to our office. We recommend everyone over the age of 18 undergo this quick, easy, and painless test that allows the dentist to see signs of oral cancer not visible to the naked eye.

Oral cancer in its early stages often has no symptoms, making it particularly dangerous. That’s why early detection saves lives. By the time we notice symptoms such as a lump, the disease frequently has advanced and metastasized to another location.

Sadly, oral cancer has a death rate higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, testicular cancer, and thyroid cancer.

Teeth Grinding & Night Guards

Teeth grinding, also called bruxism, affects up to 40 million Americans. Often caused by stress, it also can be the result of crooked teeth or a “bad bite.”

Grinding your teeth often occurs while you sleep, resulting in morning headaches or awakening with a sore jaw. It also can cause tooth sensitivity and chipped or cracked teeth.

Our dentist in Miami can fit you with a custom-made mouth guard, also called a night guard, to protect your teeth while you sleep, alleviating those morning headaches and protecting your teeth from damage.

Call Today to Schedule a Dental Exam

Ready to schedule a cleaning or an exam? Please call Towncare Dental of London Square today at (305) 851-6464. We look forward to working with you and your family to make your smile the best it can be.