Posted by: Maplewood Dental Arts in Family Dentist

Your Dental Hygiene Appointment: More Important Than Ever!

Woman getting fever checked at Maplewood Dentistry

We are happy to announce that our office is re-opened and have begun to re-schedule the overdue dental care that you and your family needs and has been postponed during our Covid-19 mandatory closure. Maintaining excellent dental care routines and habits can improve immunity and protect your overall health, which is so important right now. All of our MDA dental hygienists are here for you to help get cleanings back on track, and optimize dental homecare plans for you, and your family. We have also expanded our hours to conveniently and safely offer more appointment times each week!

Proactive and Preventative Plan

Our entire dental practice care philosophy is based in a proactive and preventative approach to oral health for our patients. Your dental health management plan should include regularly scheduled appointments with a dental hygienist. Regular exams with the dentists and a customized annual hygiene cleaning schedule are highly recommended to ensure that we can evaluate your teeth and gums before bacteria and disease lead to bigger health problems, and potentially expensive corrective procedures.

Safety First

Maplewood Dentistry technology

The entire team at Maplewood has been thoroughly trained for all the newest safety protocols recommended by ADA, CDC, and OSHA. We have always exceeded the highest standards for infection control and best practices in our office and now we have expanded that cautionary approach to include PPE and new tools and techniques. Dry shield, rubber dams, high speed suction, and medical grade sterilization are just some of the things we have incorporated into the way we practice. We look forward to sharing information about these changes when you come to your next appointment.

Managing Periodontitis/Gum Disease

Gum disease can lead to much more severe problems if left untreated for long periods of time. You may not notice it initially as it can start off with very mild symptoms. A dentist can recognize it early and help you develop a treatment plan that can help prevent the loss of teeth, infections, and compromise your immunity.

According to recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), half of Americans aged 30 or older have periodontitis, the more advanced form of periodontal disease. This equals approximately 64.7 million Americans.

Graph of normal tooth vs periodontitis

The disease can contribute to serious complications that go far beyond just your oral health. Periodontal disease has been shown in research to be linked to other health problems including heart health issues, diabetes complications, stroke and respiratory issues. This condition cannot be cured only managed, once you have contracted it you will have it for life. It is important to work with our doctors to develop a “perio-maintenance plan” that is right for you. This may include more frequent cleanings. You hygienist will use a more intensive technique called “scaling and root planing” to remove destructive bacteria that cause the disease to progress.

With a combination of proper daily maintenance and routinely scheduled hygiene appointments, excellent dental health is possible for every patient. Your home care routine of brushing and flossing twice a day, along with regular hygiene care appointments at the office goes a long way toward long lasting overall health, and a lifelong beautiful smile! As always, we welcome new patients of all ages and look forward to seeing you very soon!

Dr. Taliento and the MDA Team