Regular hygiene exams, cleanings and prevention is essential for your long-term oral health. Visit the team at Jubilee Dental Centre in Summerland and protect your oral health.
A Prevention-First Approach
We believe strongly that prevention is always the best treatment regardless of age. By actively preventing disease and decay through regular home care, professional dental cleanings and regular exams, you can maintain a healthy, beautiful smile. Effective prevention can also help you avoid costly dental treatments in the future.
Professional Cleanings
Professional cleanings at our dental office form the foundation for preventing gum disease and tooth decay.
In a professional cleaning, your dentist or hygienist will:
- Remove plaque from the teeth
- Remove calculus (tartar) above and below the gum line
- Polish and remove stains from teeth
Professional Examinations
Dental examinations help to diagnose disease before it becomes hazardous to your health.
Your dental examinations generally includes the following:
- Close examination of teeth, gums and mouth
- Oral cancer screening
- Digital X-rays
Gum Disease & Your Oral Health
Gum disease (also known as periodontal disease) is one of the most common diseases among Canadians. Despite your very best efforts in maintaining your oral health, gum disease may still occur. Depending the severity of your gum disease, you may require gum therapy treatment.
- Symptoms
You may not even be aware that you have gum disease, since sometimes, there are no symptoms at all. However, some of the noticeable symptoms of gum disease include the following:
- Sore gums
- Swollen gums
- Red or purple gums
- Receding gums
- Bleeding gums
- Persistent bad breath
- Diagnosis
Gum disease is diagnosed through a process that measures the depth of the pockets around each tooth. Pockets that are greater than 3 millimeters in depth are considered hazardous and will generally require treatment.
The early detection and prevention of gum disease is another reason to see your dentist regularly.
- Treatment
Gum disease is treated by carefully removing the bacteria and substances that form in the pockets around the teeth. The removal of this material occurs on a microscopic level and requires great skill. Our dental team has had advanced training regarding how to effectively remove all of the bacteria.
This process of removing the bacteria usually requires several visits to our office. Once the bacteria has been removed, the pockets must be cleaned and maintained on a regular basis by your dentist. Otherwise, the bacteria will continue to damage the bone.
- Long-Term Care
Keep in mind that once you have periodontal disease, you will always have the disease due to the damage that it does to your body. Careful daily hygiene and regular dental visits to clean your dental pockets are required to keep your bone from being lost. After the initial dental appointments you will be placed on a regular appointment schedule called “periodontal maintenance” which usually requires a visit every 3-4 months.
