.png)
What to expect
During Checkups
Routine checkups are the key to having a healthy, confident, beautiful smile. During routine appointments at our Long Beach team will clean your teeth, thoroughly examine your dental health, and screen for oral cancer. These appointments help you maintain optimal dental health and ensure your smile is on the right track. Call now to schedule an appointment!
The Importance Of Six-Month Cleanings
Keep Your Smile Healthy
Regular exams and cleanings allow our team to get more familiar with your unique challenges and detect any changes in your oral health. For example, if we notice that your teeth are being worn down over time, this could indicate that you are grinding your teeth at night. We may also notice a tiny cavity that is becoming bigger.
Six-month cleanings help save you time and money. During routine cleanings, we remove plaque and tartar from your teeth, which helps reduce your risk of cavities and gum disease. We can also catch potential issues like tooth decay and gum disease early, and take the appropriate action, preventing further complications and expensive treatments. Biannual cleanings also keep your smile beautiful and bright. We can remove plaque and surface stains during these appointments to make sure your teeth look their best.
protect your smile
With Dental Sealants
Sealants can help patients maintain positive dental health. A dental sealant is a thin, protective coating that covers the chewing surfaces of teeth in order to keep out harmful bacteria. There’s no substitute for brushing and flossing, but sealants can keep cavities from forming and may even stop early stages of decay from becoming a full-blown cavity. Call us today if you are interested in this preventive option.
keep your child's teeth safe
with Flouride Treatments
Fluoride treatments can significantly decrease your child’s likelihood of developing cavities. This treatment protects teeth from harmful sugars and bacteria in the mouth because fluoride acts as a shield for the outer enamel layer of the teeth. In some cases, fluoride treatments can even reverse early dental decay. If you’re interested in protecting your child's teeth with sealants, give our children's dentist a call today!
Periodontal Care
for Healthy Gums
Periodontal disease (also known as gum disease) affects millions of Americans each year, and it is one of the most common dental issues. It's also been known to have negative effects on your cardiovascular and overall health. If you notice bleeding when you brush or floss, give us a call today to set up a consultation. Our dentists offer judgment-free, preventive care and treatment for gum disease.
Why Dental X-Rays Are Critical
Detecting Hidden Oral Issues
We always recommend that our new patients have dental x-rays done during their first appointment, and we may also recommend that you have x-rays taken every 1-2 years afterward. Primarily, this depends on your overall level of oral health. If you are cavity-prone, for example, we may recommend yearly x-rays. But if your mouth has been consistently healthy for a while, you may only need a new set of x-rays every 3 years or so, or whenever Dr. Emily or Dr. Dustin believes they are necessary.
X-rays are important because they give us insights into your mouth which we cannot get with a visual exam alone. These images reveal cavities and disease below the gumline, and can also provide us with more information about your bite, the position of your teeth, and other information about your dental health. In fact, some oral health issues are undetectable without an x-ray.
Regular Oral Cancer Screenings
Catch Potential Concerns Early
As part of our preventive exams at Dodds Dental, we include a brief oral cancer screening. Dr. Emily or Dr. Dustin will use a special intraoral camera to take a look at your tongue, gums, cheeks and other parts of your mouth and keep an eye out for discoloration, lesions, bumps and other irregularities. This allows us to detect potential signs of oral cancer early. Oral cancer can be very hard to detect without regular screenings. Regular oral cancer screenings will give you peace of mind and ensure any potentially-concerning areas are investigated. This is an especially good thing if you conform to the risk factors for developing oral cancer, such as HPV infection, heavy tobacco or alcohol use, or excessive sun exposure.
.png)