![dental implant patient smiling](https://www.houston-perio.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/implants.jpg)
Are You Taking Care of Your Smile?
As adults we sometimes push our dental hygiene aside due to other responsibilities and obligations. If we don’t see any problems, then there must not be anything wring right? Wrong! Your oral health is vitally important to your oral health and systemic health. Preventative care is the best way to help maintain that healthy smile! Routine teeth cleanings in Houston, TX can catch early signs of infection, decay, or disease that you may overlook during your at-home hygiene care and allow us to provide timely and targeted treatment when necessary. Overall, the goal of these appointments is to ensure you have a functional, healthy smile and in turn, maintain lasting oral and overall health!
Let’s Get to Know You and Your Routine
Your teeth cleaning appointment at Friedberg Periodontics will take about an hour. Patients generally do not experience pain or discomfort during their visit; however, we do offer sedation solutions to put those with dental anxiety at ease. If you have generally good oral health, we recommend you visit our office in Houston, TX for teeth cleanings every six months. However, if you have been treated for gum disease, or we determine signs of gum disease we will recommend periodontal maintenance for further prevention. In general, you can expect your visit to follow these steps:
Step 1: Where Does Your Hygiene Stand
During the first phase of your appointment, we encourage you to discuss dental issues or tooth pain you may be experiencing with Dr. Friedberg. We’ll be able to address any areas of your smile that may need immediate attention and determine the best course of treatment.
Step 2: Let’s Examine Your Smile
If you are a new patient or are due for x-rays, we will take them at this time. Dr. Friedberg will carefully examine any suspicious areas in your mouth found on these images. You’ll receive an oral exam where we will check for signs of gum disease and tooth decay. This includes examining the pocket depth of your gums and looking for dark spots on the teeth or areas of tartar buildup. We’ll also perform an oral cancer screening by evaluating the color and texture of your oral tissues.
Step 3: A Professional Dental Cleaning
Even if you brush and floss your teeth regularly, this tartar can still build up on your teeth and can only be removed with a professional teeth cleaning. One of our dental hygienists will use special tools called dental scalers to remove the plaque and tartar on and between your teeth and along your gumline.
Step 4: Polishing Your Smile
Using a handheld electric toothbrush, one of our hygienist will then polish your teeth with a gritty prophylaxis paste. This process helps gently scrub your teeth clean and remove any stains and leftover tartar. Once your teeth are clean, our hygienist will gently floss your teeth.
![](https://www.houston-perio.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/intervene.jpg)
The Importance Of Dental Cleanings
It might be easy to overlook your dental cleaning every six months, but the benefits affect more than your smile. Your oral health is considered a window to your overall systemic health. Problems such as tooth decay, missing teeth, and gum disease can all lead to more serious problems if not addressed at a routine appointment. Similarly, regular visits to our office Friedberg Periodontics in Houston, TX will ensure that potential issues are treated quickly or prevented altogether. No matter how long it has been since your last teeth cleaning, or what shape your smile is in, we welcome you to our office to experience our comprehensive and affordable dental care. We accept multiple leading insurance providers to make receiving this care as convenient and simple as possible. Our team can help you maintain a healthy, beautiful, and functional smile for life!