At Agnini Family Dental
Center, we put a premium on great dental
home care and overall oral hygiene. There
is absolutely no substitute for proper
brushing and flossing.
Dental plaque is basically a
conglomeration of bacteria that builds up
on your teeth throughout the day and
night. The only effective way to get it
off and keep it from accumulating over
time is brushing and flossing. Dental
plaque is the causative agent in cavities,
gingivitis, gum disease, and chronic bad
breath.
Proper brushing and flossing technique is
one of the most important variables that
determine ones overall dental health.
These techniques need to be learned and
our team of dental hygienists put an
emphasis on this at every hygiene visit.
Today, most electric toothbrushes are
great and are shown to be advantageous for
removing the most amount of plaque if used
properly.
Certain mouthwash and oral rinses can be a great
way to help some patients obtain a more plaque
free oral environment. Our team of dental
professionals will usually recommend either an
over the counter or prescription rinse depending
on the individuals needs.
Routine dental hygiene visits are also an integral
part of maintaining a healthy mouth and a
beautiful smile. Your dentist will prescribe the
frequency of your hygiene visits based on your
overall home care and your plaque levels. Dental
hygiene visits are most commonly either every 3,
4, or 6 months.
For
patients that have undergone deep cleanings or
scaling and root planing, 3 month periodontal
maintenance visits are usually recommended for
life due to the progressive nature of gum disease.
For patients that have not been diagnosed with gum
disease, routine dental hygiene visits coupled
with great oral home care is the best defense
against developing gum disease.
For more information on treatment and prevention
of gum disease see our
periodontal treatment
section and visit the following
links:
