Preventive Dentistry – Mission Viejo, CA
Keep A Smile Healthy with Regular Care
One of the most important parts of maintaining a healthy smile is making sure you’re doing everything possible to protect it at home. However, your at-home brushing and flossing can only go so far. Not only will routine cleanings at our dental office keep your smile free of harmful plaque and tartar, but regular exams ensure no underlying problems are causing your oral or overall health any harm. To set up you or your family’s next routine checkup for preventive dentistry in Mission Viejo, CA, call Palm Dentistry today!
Why Choose Palm Dentistry
for Preventive Dentistry?
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Friendly and Welcoming
Dental Team - Treatments Highly Personalized to You
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Latest Dental Technology
In-House
Dental Checkups
& Teeth Cleanings
At-home brushing and flossing is incredibly important for your long-term oral health. With that said, these steps are only one part of your long-term oral care. Dental exams are crucial to catching underlying issues that you may not have been aware of before, including decay and gum disease. Additionally, cleanings work to remove harmful plaque and tartar from the mouth before they have a chance to cause permanent damage to your smile.
Learn More About Dental Checkups and Cleanings
Nightguards
for Bruxism
Teeth grinding habits are so common, you just may not even realize you have one until a dentist tells you during your next exam. If you notice your teeth feeling sensitive or painful, headaches throughout the day or after you wake up, or discomfort in your jaw, a nightguard could help you relieve stress from unconscious teeth grinding and clenching. Using a digital impression scanner, our dental office can create one that’s specifically designed to fit your mouth exactly for maximum comfort and protection.
Fluoride Treatment
Tooth decay occurs when unhealthy bacteria in your mouth flourish and produce acids that erode your enamel, which is the protective outer layer of your teeth. Although Dr. Palmer and the rest of our team are happy to treat cavities, it’s better to prevent them in the first place.
One way to strengthen your or your child’s enamel is with a topical fluoride. Continue reading to learn more about this standard service and when it might be recommended!
What is Fluoride?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found in various water sources, like lakes, creeks, and rain. As a result, it is also commonly found in soil and in the vegetables growing there. While too much can potentially be harmful, it’s incredibly beneficial to your dental health in smaller doses. It strengthens your enamel, helping prevent tooth decay, chips, cracks, and other damage that can harm the structure of your teeth.
This is why safe amounts of this mineral are sometimes added to public water sources and are often included in different toothpaste brands. Dr. Palmer might also recommend a topical fluoride treatment after a routine checkup and cleaning in our office.
How Does Fluoride Treatment Work?
Our team might recommend this service in follow up to a standard examination, especially if we notice any areas of thinning enamel. This is typically applied as a varnish or gel that can be brushed directly onto your teeth and bonds with the calcium and phosphate of your enamel to reverse the early stages of tooth decay.
We might ask that you avoid eating or drinking anything for 30 to 60 minutes after it’s been applied to give the fluoride enough time to strengthen the outer layer of your teeth.
Who Benefits from Fluoride Treatment?
This option is often offered for children to help protect their still-developing smiles. It can be challenging for some kids to keep up with a routine at-home dental hygiene routine of brushing and flossing twice daily, and topical fluoride can be a simple and effective way to protect their grin.
However, Dr. Palmer might also recommend this treatment for children and adults who have:
- Mobility challenges that make it difficult to clean their teeth and gums
- Another health condition, such as diabetes, that increases the likelihood of developing gum disease or tooth decay
- Developed sensitivity due to thinning enamel
Oral Cancer Screenings
Tooth decay, gum disease, and other underlying oral health concerns are always the highest priorities at our dental office. However, dentists like Dr. Palmer are in a unique position to catch other conditions, including oral cancer, which can be life-threatening if they are not caught in the earliest stages. That’s why she always performs an oral cancer screening, highlighting any symptoms or oral cancer and getting you treatment as soon as possible if needed.