PREVENTATIVE CARE
Teeth Cleaning and Preventative Care
Dental Hygiene, teeth cleaning & preventative care are extremely important. At Willis & Associates: Family Dentistry, we spend time discussing the importance of preventive care with our patients. You may understand that you should floss daily and brush twice daily, but you may not understand why. We can help you discover the best oral hygiene techniques to protect your teeth and gums from plaque buildup.
As a part of our hygiene program, we provide:
- Free toothbrushes and dental floss at each recare appointment.
- A cleaning schedule that is custom-tailored by a dentist and registered dental hygienist to fit your specific needs.
- Review of the best flossing and brushing techniques to improve your oral health and prevent oral problems.
Preventative Care Products
Dr. Willis advises all patients purchase an electric toothbrush as they are proven to clean the teeth and gums better. This would not be the “spin brushes” you may see in the ten dollar range — Dr. Willis prefers manual toothbrushes (our giveaways) to these. We recommend either the Sonicare or Oral B Smartseries 5000 for the best home-care possible in between your professional cleanings.
Drs. Willis, Taylor, and Podbesek also offer Dental Sealants to protect your teeth and your family’s teeth against tooth decay.
Oral Health Connection to Your Health
We want patients to understand their gum health is just as important as their tooth health and that overall oral health relates to whole body systemic health. Dental and periodontal disease has been linked to health problems such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, low birth weight babies, erectile dysfunction and other issues.
We take our patients’ oral health seriously. Our team goes beyond thorough cleanings and dental treatments to provide comprehensive dental care.
TMJ and Sleep Apnea Issues
Dr. Willis has extensive training diagnosing and treating TMJ issues and sleep apnea. We will test your jaw joint and screen you for TMJ problems. Your TMJ may be causing you unnecessary neck, jaw and head pain. We may also need low exposure digital X-rays to see the development of your teeth, though not every patient will need dental X-rays.
Oral Cancer Screening
We provide oral cancer screenings at each dental appointment. Oral cancer is more dangerous the longer it goes undiagnosed. Dr. Willis will inspect your lips, tongue, face, neck and throat for any signs of oral cancer. If you smoke tobacco, eat a diet low in fruits and vegetables, have HPV or have been overexposed to sunlight, you may be more at risk for developing oral cancer.
Notice any changes to your mouth, teeth, gums and jaw function. Oral cancer symptoms include:
- trouble chewing
- trouble swallowing
- difficulty opening and closing the jaw
- red or white oral sores
- tongue numbness
- jaw swelling
If you have symptoms that last longer than two weeks, you should come in for an examination.
If you have any questions, or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us.