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For most of us, dental cleanings are a regular part of life. Seeing the dentist twice a year to maintain oral health is a simple step, but it’s one that a lot of people overlook. Whether you’re new to the world of dentistry, if it’s been a while since your last appointment, or if you’re just curious to see what to expect, we’ve got you covered.

Although the exact steps in the process may vary slightly from one dentist or hygienist to the next, it’s basically the same no matter where you go.

Step One: The Exam

Before doing anything, your dentist or hygienist is going to want to poke around and see what state your oral health is in. In addition to general health, they will look for specific issues, such as cavities, gingivitis, or other oral health concerns. They may also request X-rays to get a thorough view of the situation.

Step Two: Plaque and Tartar Removal

Once the exam is complete, it’s cleaning time. That starts with plaque and tartar removal, which is usually most people’s leastfavorite part of teeth cleaning. Using a variety of metal tools and a small mirror, the dentist or dental hygienist will scrape all the tartar and plaque from your teeth. Then, your mouth will be rinsed before moving to the next stage.

Step Three: Deep Cleaning

The next step is to do a deep cleaning with an electric toothbrush. This is a professional-grade version of the kinds you can buy to use at home, and it’s usually combined with a gritty toothpaste to help deep clean and restore some of the shine. This can remove additional plaque and debris that is missed in the initial process.

Step Four: Flossing

Once brushing is complete, your hygienist or dentist will floss your teeth vigorously and thoroughly. This helps remove any remaining debris and ensures that your gums are clean and healthy. For those who floss regularly, this step usually is fairly painless. Those who have gum health concerns or who don’t floss may deal with some bleeding or slight discomfort during this process.

Step Five: Fluoride Treatment

Most cleanings conclude with a fluoride treatment. The dentist will fill a tray with fluoride gel and then put it in your mouth and tell you to bite down. This will stay in your mouth for a few minutes before being removed. Then your mouth will be rinsed a final time.

Step Six: Rinse and Repeat

Technically, the last step is just a gentle reminder. You should be getting dental cleanings every six months, or at the very least, once a year, to keep your oral health in its best condition. And once you feel how clean your mouth is after a visit to the dentist, the chances are good that you’ll be ready to go back.

Prevention is a lot easier and more affordable when it comes to your teeth, which is why regular cleanings are essential. Schedule your check-up and cleaning today if you haven’t had one in the last six months!

For most people, a trip to the dentist might involve filling a cavity. These erosions in teeth are often painful and sometimes unsightly. But what are cavities? How do they form? What can you do to prevent them? Here are nine things you should know about cavities.

What Are They Called?

Cavities, caries, erosions – they all amount to the same thing – a hole in your teeth that may become painful and will grow larger if left untreated.

Are They Caused by Worms?

Many ancient cultures believed cavities were caused by worms that drank the “blood” of your teeth and ate the roots. While inaccurate, that’s not too far from the truth. Instead of a worm, bacteria cause cavities.

The 1-2-3 Combo

The bacteria that live in your mouth need a couple of things to thrive and cause cavities – a lack of frequent brushing, a diet rich in sugar and/or processed foods, and saliva.

More Veggies, Please

Bacteria love highly processed foods but cannot process whole foods (think broccoli, cauliflower, etc.). A diet rich in whole foods, particularly vegetables, can help you prevent cavities.

It’s All About the Acid

Bacteria don’t cause cavities directly. Instead, the acid produced when these microorganisms eat is responsible for eroding your tooth enamel. It’s a natural byproduct of consuming food debris in your mouth.

Remineralization Can Happen

If you give your teeth enough time and prevent bacteria from permanently colonizing the area, they’re capable of re-mineralizing damaged areas (before the damage becomes too severe). That’s what brushing and flossing do – they remove bacteria so that your teeth have time to heal.

Multiple Types

Did you know there was more than one type of cavity? The three most common are pit and fissure cavities, which tend to form on the tops of molars, smooth surface cavities, which form on the sides of teeth, and root cavities, which form just below the gum line.

Many Stages of Development

A cavity continues to grow the longer it’s left untreated. They begin as enamel cavities. Here, the hole only affects the enamel of the tooth – the outermost layer. Next, they progress to dentin cavities, where the hole erodes into the softer second layer of dentin.

Pulpitis is the next stage, where the cavity reaches the tooth pulp. This is the most painful stage and can lead to infection. Finally, the cavity results in periodontitis, which can result in bone infection and can usually only be treated by oral surgery.

How to Treat Cavities

In most cases, cavities are treated the same way. Your dentist will drill out the decayed part of the tooth and then replace the hole with a filling. In the past, fillings were often made from silver or gold, but porcelain and amalgam are more commonly used today.

Here’s to Your Oral Health

Cavities affect most people in the US at some point in their lives, but they’re not unavoidable. Regular brushing and flossing will help keep bacteria from building up and destroying your enamel. Regular visits to your dentist will also help keep your teeth clean and free of damage.

Dental hygiene is a matter that is continually taken for granted. Not a lot of people know that poor oral hygiene can lead to a wide range of other health disorders, making a commitment to maintaining the health of your teeth and gums is a necessary aspect of your health. Through routine dental check-ups and cleanings you are able to stop problems before they can become worse helping to prevent serious issues. Catching gum disease before it can affect a dental implant is a crucial benefit of routine dental cleanings.

Dental implants can be an excellent solution for missing or poorly structured teeth. More and more people turn to dental implants to enhance their look and help compensate for bad teeth. However, to get a dental implant in the first place, you must first ensure that the health of your gums is in good condition. Maintaining your dental implant requires the same thing. One of the primary factors that prevent people from getting a dental implant and one of the main threats to a dental implant is periodontal (gum) disease.

Unfortunately, many people fail to take the necessary measures to ensure that their gums are in good condition. This includes brushing and flossing on a regular basis as well as visiting the dentist at least twice a year for cleaning. You also need to be proactive in seeking out help when you find symptoms of gum disease such as bleeding or pain in the gums. If neglected, this could develop into other advanced conditions that can be difficult to diagnose. In such a situation, placing an implant would be out of the question.

Peri-Implantitis

After you have your dental implant in place, it’s even more important that you maintain your gums in a healthy state. Peri-implantitis is a type of periodontal disease and a condition in which infection and inflammation sets in around your dental implant. Symptoms of peri-implantitis are similar to those of gum disease with bleeding, sore, swollen gums and bleeding from gums when brush teeth. It is typically caused by plaque buildup from a lack of adequate brushing or flossing.

If peri-implantitis or gum disease is not treated in a timely manner, it can cause damage to your dental implant as well as to the underlying gums and bone. This could lead to the implant loosening and even detaching from the bone.

Fortunately, peri-implantitis is both preventable and curable. Through routine dental examinations and cleanings, you can stop gum disease before it can threaten your dental implant. Combined with consistent brushing and flossing, dental cleanings are the most effective way to prevent gum disease from affecting your teeth and implants.

Henderson Periodontal Therapy

At Foutz Family Dentistry, Dr. Barton Foutz and his skilled team provide superior and comprehensive dental services including routine dental cleanings, periodontal therapy and dental implants. Contact Us today for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Dr. Barton H. Foutz, DDS
2510 Wigwam Parkway Suite 100 Henderson, NV 89074
(702) 792-5929

Maintaining healthy teeth and gums requires a commitment to regular dental checkups. Brushing and flossing on a daily basis do not cancel out the importance of seeing your dentist every six months. During a dental checkup, your dentist and dental hygienist are able to check the overall condition of your teeth and gums, catching potential problems before they become worse.

Poor dental health has been linked with other serious conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, and respiratory infections among others. Bacteria found in your mouth can be breathed in or can enter your bloodstream affecting the overall health of your body. At Foutz Family Dentistry, we are committed to monitoring your oral health to ensure that your teeth and gums remain in the best condition helping to avoid other serious physical conditions.

Dental cleanings and examinations are typically recommended every 6 months, although for some patients a shorter period of time may be recommended. During a routine dental visit, Dr. Foutz and his team of oral hygienists will perform a visual inspection, periodontal probe and take digital x-rays along with a thorough dental cleaning.

Reasons For A Routine Dental Checkup 

• Disease Prevention – Staying consistent with dental visits allows Dr. Foutz to catch diseases or dental problems in the early stages, saving you from costly and more complicated procedures. During a dental examination, your teeth are thoroughly inspected for signs of periodontal, or gum, disease, vitamin deficiencies, oral cancer, cavities, plaque and tartar. Dr. Foutz and his knowledgeable team are highly trained to recognize signs of dental diseases making it possible to catch any

• Encourage Healthy Habits – During a dental cleaning and examination, dentists and hygienists alike are able to identify habits that might be negatively affecting your oral health. Damage to your teeth and gums can be cause by smoking, nail biting, teeth grinding, diet and even brushing habits. A dental checkup also is an ideal time to introduce healthy habits that will better benefit your teeth and gums. Your hygienist will likely recommend methods or habits that will help improve the condition of your teeth. Going to your dentist appointment every six months will help keep you accountable for staying consistent with proper brushing, flossing and avoidance of bad habits.

• Dental Cleaning–No one has perfect dental home care, which makes regular dental cleanings essential for maintaining dental health. Our hygienists at Foutz Family Dentistry will carefully remove plaque and tartar buildup that was not removed with regular brushing or flossing. Removal of plaque and tartar during a cleaning is one of the most effective way to prevent gum disease and improve bad breath.

• Head And Neck Examination – During a routine dental visit, Dr. Foutz also performs an examination of your head and neck checking lymph nodes and jawlines for any abnormalities. Dr. Foutz is able to identify swelling, lumps and other abnormalities that could be signs of a serious health issues allowing you to seek treatment before it can get worse.

Henderson Dental Examinations and Cleanings 

Dr. Barton H. Foutz, DDS strongly encourages patients to remain consistent with dental appointments every six months. Through routine dentist appointments, you will better be able to maintain the condition of your teeth and oral health. Contact our office today to schedule your routine dental examination.

Dr. Barton H. Foutz, DDS
2510 Wigwam Parkway Suite 100 Henderson, NV 89074
(702) 792-5929

Have you ever been told by your dentist that you need a dental scaling or root planing appointment? You may be wondering if these appointments are really worth the money. Actually, these procedures are absolutely vital to the health of your teeth, gums, and really to your whole body.

Why Dental Scaling and Root Planing Are So Important to Dental Health

Researchers have found definite links between gum disease and heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, respiratory issues, and a number of other health conditions. If you’re like us, you want to do all you can to reduce your risk of such diseases. And this is just one of the reasons why we encourage our patients to invest in dental cleanings and root planing appointments.

Another reason why they are so important is because they are the best way to keep your teeth and mouth clean.

• Dental Scaling: Routine scaling and polishing help to remove plaque and tarter, both of which contribute to decay, gum disease, and embarrassing halitosis. We recommend that our patients come in for a dental scaling at least twice each year.
• Root Planing: Gum disease leads to tooth and bone loss. When a patient has gum disease, they have plaque, tarter and bacteria well below the gum line, on the surfaces of the root. It is impossible to clean this far down without special dental tools. Once a patient has gum disease it cannot be reversed, but we can prevent it from getting worse. After our patients have root planing, they need to come in every 3, 4, or 6 months for follow-up dental scaling to keep their gum disease in check.

Trusting Your Dentist: We Have Your Best Interests at Heart

If there is any way we can help you to live a healthier life, we will do it. This is why we strongly urge our patients to come in for their regular dental scaling and examination appointments.

Are you ready to schedule a dental cleaning and examination? Please call us right away. We will be happy to schedule an appointment and answer all of your questions.

Dr. Barton H. Foutz, DDS
2510 Wigwam Parkway Suite 100 Henderson, NV 89074
(702) 792-5929