Spring and its traditional cleaning rituals are just around the corner. When sprucing up your garage and kitchen, don’t forget about your teeth and gums! Attending routine dental appointments is the best way to ensure your smile is as fresh as the spring air. Here’s some important information regarding routine visits at Trillium Dental.
What can I expect at a routine dental appointment?
A regular visit with us at Trillium Dental is enjoyable and personalized to satisfy your unique dental health needs. These appointments are recommended two to four times each year and focus on achieving good oral hygiene and detecting developing problems. From the moment you enter our doors, our goal is to make your experience as beneficial as possible. We are staffed with a team of elite dentists in the Kanata area to provide you with unsurpassed care.
Your appointment will begin with our experienced team of dental hygienists. We’re equipped with the tools and expertise to thoroughly clean teeth above and below the gum line and in areas where you may not be able to. Plaque and tartar buildup often occurs in these tricky corners, but stubborn bacteria-harboring substances are removed by our skilled hygienists. A thorough cleaning will also remove some extrinsic stains, leaving you with a more brilliant and healthy smile. Our hygienists will instruct you on proper oral hygiene techniques. Good oral hygiene is vital to enjoying a lifetime of strong dental health.
An example of our modern approach to general dentistry, our Kanata and Ottawa area offices use DIAGNOdent laser technology to painlessly identify minuscule, developing areas of tooth decay not easily visible to the naked eye. Such early detection allows for extraordinarily quick and minimally invasive restorative treatment.
We may apply a professional strength fluoride treatment at your appointment. Although fluoride can be found in many over-the-counter oral care products, professional doses are highly concentrated and offer the best defense against tooth decay, sensitivity issues and enamel erosion. We use a pleasant tasting fluoride varnish that sets quickly for your convenience. Because fluoride levels vary with each patient, our team will determine if a professional treatment is needed at each appointment.
After your teeth are brushed, flossed and beautified, your dentist will evaluate every area of the mouth while taking into account your unique health issues and risk factors. There is a protocol we follow to ensure every patient’s smile is free of dangerous conditions, however. At each appointment, our dentists check for:
- Oral cancer
- Tooth decay and root decay
- TMJ and bite problems
- Gum disease and irritation
- Tooth surface damage
If you have dentures or have undergone procedures such as dental implants, we’ll also check on the condition, comfort and fit of these appliances.
On occasion, your dentist may deem it necessary to take X-ray images of your smile. These images offer exceptional clarity about the condition of oral structures not visible to the eye, which is vital to maintaining excellent dental health. X-ray images are the ideal diagnostic tool. We use the latest in digital radiography to reduce radiation exposure and determine an optimal course of treatment.
What if it’s my first time?
No matter if it’s your initial routine appointment with us or your first professional cleaning ever, care from a dentist is always beneficial. Our friendly staff in each of our eight Ottawa area locations aims to make your experience with us as convenient and simple as possible. That’s why we provide important information regarding your first appointment on our website.
We require all patients to complete an medical history form that can be emailed to us prior to their initial visit. Oral health and dental health are closely linked, so the existence of certain medical conditions will affect our treatment approach. For example, patients with diabetes are at an increased risk for gum disease. Once we are informed of your medical history, we will keep the information in mind for all future visits. At Trillium Dental, our methods are personalized to you.
Check out the “Patient Information” page of our website to learn more about our payment and insurance policies.
Here’s a quick tip: arrive at your appointment with a freshly-brushed teeth. Good oral hygiene is always important, but visiting us with a clean smile reduces hygienic work on our end and allows for your dentist to better spot developing problems.
Why are routine dental appointments so important?
Now you know what to expect at your routine dental appointment, but here’s why it’s important: regular professional care is essential to achieving truly healthy teeth and gums. Only professionally trained dentists and hygienists possess the insight, expertise and tools to detect developing dental health issues before they manifest in your smile. That’s why routine exams are often referred to as “preventive care”- they prevent dental conditions from developing or worsening.
Your wallet, not just your dental health, enjoys the advantages of early detection through regular preventive care. When tooth decay or gum disease strikes and progresses, it may require extensive treatment to remedy. In severe cases, tooth loss, tooth abscess and further infection can occur. Such situations call for restorative dentistry solutions like bridges or implants to repair. Do your smile and your bank account a favor- don’t skip routine dental appointments.
The wellbeing of your gums is just as significant as your teeth. In fact, the condition of gums is a window into your general health. There’s a growing body of evidence to suggest that gum disease is strongly linked to conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, low birth weight and Alzheimer’s disease. The American Heart Association even found that one professional cleaning can lower the risk of heart attack by 24 percent!
The mouth is an ideal environment for bacteria growth and a gateway to the bloodstream. It is widely believed that inflamed and bleeding gums transfer oral bacteria to other areas of the body, contributing to or exacerbating existing conditions. A healthy smile supports a healthy body. The best way to prevent gum disease, tooth decay and other issues is through good dental hygiene, which can’t truly be achieved without the help of a dentist. At each routine appointment, our dentists and hygienists remove bacteria-harboring plaque and tartar to provide a healthy and clean oral environment.
At Trillium Dental, we encourage you to commit to your dental health not just in spring, but all year round. Adequate hygiene routines, smart food choices and regular visits with us will ensure your teeth and gums stay in prime health.
Do you have additional questions regarding what a routine dental appointment entails? Contact us. Our friendly staff is eager to address any concerns and make you feel at ease. For comprehensive preventive, restorative and cosmetic dentistry, trust Trillium Dental.