Preventative Dentistry at East Peak Dental

Taking care of your mouth is essential for keeping it healthy and preventing a variety of different oral health issues, such as cavities and gum disease. Keeping your mouth healthy requires a good oral hygiene routine. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that you brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day. In addition to taking care of your mouth at home, professional care is also needed. At East Peak Dental, Dr. Gordon and Dr. Appelblatt can help to provide you with the care you need to keep your mouth healthy and happy.

Cleanings, Exams, & Digital X-Rays

Even if you brush and floss your teeth every single day, the ADA recommends that you have your teeth professionally cleaned and examined every six months. Cleanings allow us to help eliminate any buildup from the surfaces of your teeth, including the most stubborn tartar. We can access all areas of your teeth, providing you with a thorough cleaning. This helps to keep your mouth healthy and prevent issues from developing.

Dental exams are performed to help detect the presence of any oral health issues. Often, oral health issues do not exhibit any noticeable symptoms in the early stages, leaving you to believe that everything is fine. By the time you do notice something is wrong, the issue has worsened, requiring more invasive treatment. With exams, we can detect the earliest symptoms of different oral health issues, allowing you to get the treatment you need right away. Earlier treatment typically means less invasive, more affordable, treatment.

Oral Cancer Screening

Oral cancer is a serious, and deadly, disease. It can affect just about any part of your mouth. Early detection is essential for successful treatment. An oral cancer screening is a simple and painless exam of your head and neck to look for anything usual, such as bumps or changes in your mouth.

Dental Sealants

While brushing, flossing, and regular cleanings are important for keeping plaque and bacteria buildup from the surfaces of your teeth, there are some areas that are exceptionally difficult to maintain. The chewing surfaces of your molars have deep crevices (grooves) that can harbor bacteria, increasing your risk for cavities. Sealants are a quick, simple treatment designed to cover over these crevices, aiding in protecting your teeth.

Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride treatments help to strengthen teeth, allowing them to more effectively defend against the acid attacks that can lead to tooth decay and cavities. We encourage parents to strongly consider the fluoride their children have access to, as you want a healthy balance.

Periodontal Health

Periodontal or gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in the United States. This disease is caused by accumulated tartar that can cause infection of the gums, leading to red, swollen and bleeding gums, bad breath, and damage to the soft and hard supporting tissues of the mouth. If gum disease is not treated promptly, it will result in the eventual loss of your teeth.

At East Peak Dental, we will look for signs of gum disease during your routine dental checkup visit. If we see signs of calculus and deep gum pockets, we will treat them with a scaling and root planing procedure as well as pocket reduction treatment, so that your gums return to their original healthy state.

Mouthguard

If you suffer from bruxism, which is clenching or grinding your teeth at night while you sleep, we can help. Grinding and clenching your teeth can cause damage to your teeth such as wearing down of the enamel, tooth fracture, jaw pain, and awakening with headaches. We can make you a custom-fitted mouthguard, also known as a nightguard, to protect your jaw and teeth.

Sportsguard

According to the American Dental Association, about 13% to 39% of all dental traumas and injuries occur during physical activities. For people who participate in sports, we strongly recommend the use of custom-fit sportsguards which can protect teeth from damage and prevent expensive repair work. Sportsguards are made of strong but flexible plastic and can cushion a blow to the mouth by distributing its force, preventing damage to your teeth and gums.

Dental Sleep Medicine

Sleep apnea is a condition that affects your quality of sleep. It causes you to stop breathing at night, which triggers your body to wake up. This happens several times throughout the course of the night, making it impossible to get the restful sleep you need. This leaves you feeling exhausted. It can also affect your mental health, your emotional health, and your overall health.

We can treat sleep apnea with oral appliance therapy, which involves the use of a specially-made oral appliance that is worn in your mouth while you sleep. It works to hold your jaw in proper alignment, preventing it from falling back. This helps to keep your airway clear so you can get the restful sleep you need.

TMJ/TMD

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a term that refers to any condition that affects the health and functioning of your temporomandibular joints (TMJ). TMD can be caused by issues such as bruxism, facial trauma, and jaw dislocation. These issues cause the joints to become irritated and inflamed, which causes pain and makes it difficult for you to move or use your mouth at all. There are many treatments for TMD, depending upon the cause of your condition and its severity. Common treatments include relaxation, over-the-counter medications, a night guard, Botox, and orthodontics.

Dentistry For Kids

At East Peak Dental, we provide a kid-friendly space where your child can feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed during a dental appointment.

The American Dental Association recommends that a child should have their first dental visit by one year of age or when their first tooth erupts, not when their teeth start to decay. Scheduling routine dental appointments early in life can help us monitor your child’s dental health and prevent potential problems from developing. With routine dental visits for kids, we can eliminate the fear of the dental chair in kids and teach them how to take better care of their teeth so that they can be assured of a lifetime of good oral health.

Procedures for kids that are very useful are:

• Oral Hygiene Instruction – thorough teaching oral hygiene to your kids so they can do a better job keeping their teeth clean.
• Fluoride Varnish – high percentage of fluoride painted directly on teeth can help remineralize the hard enamel surface and can repair small cavity formations.
• Dental Sealants – preventing cavities from reaching into deep grooves of permanent teeth.
• Dental Prophylaxis – a professional cleaning on a child's teeth routinely can make a huge difference!

For more information about any of our family dentistry services, and to schedule your next appointment, contact East Peak Dental today at (775) 580-7410.