Preventative Dentistry.
Dental Examinations
Regular examinations, also known as Check-Ups, are a vital component of maintaining good oral health. They allow us to spot symptoms and catch problems early minimising damage of a disease and in some cases reversing it.
At check ups we monitor the health of your teeth, gums and soft tissues of the mouth. Many systemic diseases can display signs in the mouth, and this includes cancer. Examinations also provide the perfect opportunity for the dentist to give preventative advice to patients such as daily brushing and flossing routines.
Your examination recall interval will be tailored to your personal needs. Some may require three-month intervals, others may be 24 months. Our aim will be to try to get our patients on to longer recall periods which would indicate the success of our preventative strategies.
Brushing and Interdental Cleaning
Adults and children should brush their teeth twice a day to maintain good oral health. This helps prevent decay and gum disease by removing any food debris, plaque and tartar built up on the outer surfaces of the teeth.
However, a toothbrush cannot always reach debris and plaque located in the spaces between each tooth. That is why interdental cleaning also plays a vital part in preventing poor oral health as it can clear those unreachable places. This can be achieved using either dental floss or interdental brushes.
Both dentists and hygienists will go through brushing and interdental cleaning techniques with you and this will be tailored to your needs.
With children we reinforce the need to brush twice a day and monitor the effectiveness of their techniques.
Fluoride
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in water in varying amounts, depending on where in the UK you live. It can help prevent tooth decay by strengthening the outer casing of a tooth known as tooth enamel. This is why it's added to many brands of toothpaste and, in some areas, to the water supply through a process called fluoridation.
For all those under 18yrs of age we routinely apply a fluoride varnish to the surface of the the tooth every 6 months and for those with tooth decay up to 4 times a year.
For adults and children we can prescribe a special tooth paste which has an increased level of fluoride for that extra fight against decay.
Hygienist- Scale & Polish
Over time, plaque - a sticky bacterial film – builds up on teeth. If left, plaque will harden and form a tough mineral deposit called scale or ‘tartar’. This rough porous surface can act as a platform for further plaque to grip onto. The more plaque that builds up at the gum line the more likely an infection. These bacteria can then infect the gums. So, having your teeth descaled plays a crucial role in preventing gum disease.
Most often this procedure is carried out by our experienced hygienists during a 30 minute appointment once every 6 months. For those that have damage from gum disease then there may well be pockets in the gums around the teeth that will need cleaning on a more regular basis so regular visits to the hygienist are essential.
At the Butts we have state of the art de-scaling equipment which minimises the discomfort of the ultrasonic cleaning and at the same time has special tips that help deliver antibacterial agent into affected diseased gum pockets.
The hygienist also plays an important part in the cosmetic care of your teeth by removing unsightly stains. Again, we have the latest air-flow technology to help with this.
Your dentist will be sure to recommend the Hygienist’s services should they be required.