tap to content

Our Dental Hygienists: your smile’s best friend

Our hygienists are your front-line authority on all things teeth, and they’re fighting the good fight against tooth decay and gum disease. Most importantly, they’re caring, diligent and careful. They take the time to get to know you, body, mind, and smile. 

The heart of our Dental Home

Our Dental Home isn’t complete without our hygienists! All our dental services and specialists are important, but hygienists are often the first to notice a problem and help you solve it. Coordinating more advanced care for you from a dentist or a specialist is easy when everyone you need is under one roof!

Schedule your dental cleaning today

Routine Dental Care Basics

Dental exams

At a dental exam, your dentist or hygienist checks every tooth, and your gums, cheek and tongue. Healthy teeth thrive in a healthy mouth. Your dentist will check every structure and surface in your mouth for cavities, signs of gum disease, infections or other possible health issues.

General health checks

Your mouth might let us know there are serious health issues, like heart disease and diabetes, lurking just beneath the surface. Lesions, sores and other abnormalities in the mouth and throat could be signs of cancer or other serious diseases. That’s why your dentist thoroughly checks your tongue, cheeks, tonsils and throat. 

If your dentist sees anything concerning, she’ll be sure to let you know. She might refer you to one of our specialists or your doctor.

Should your dentist refer you to another medical professional for any reason, be sure to follow through. The sooner you can get help for your problem, the better the outcome tends to be. Don’t wait!

Routine cleanings

At a dental cleaning, your hygienist will clean along and below the gum line to get rid of all that built-up plaque and tartar. Once it’s all gone, she’ll polish those pearly whites and give them a good flossing to boot. 

Most people need a cleaning every six months, but some people might need them more often than that. If you build up tartar quickly, have Type II diabetes or gum disease, you may need to see a hygienist three or four times a year.

Your yearly X-ray

Our X-ray machines use a low dose of radiation to snap detailed pictures of the structure of your mouth. X-rays help your dentist find issues like infections, cavities, wisdom teeth due for removal, and much, much more.

It’s typical for dentists to schedule X-rays about once a year, but they may recommend more or fewer X-rays at their discretion.

In between checkups, it’s all you

Don’t forget to brush at least twice a day so tartar doesn’t harden into plaque. Floss once a day, too, to break up bacteria between teeth your brush can’t quite reach. And fluoride rinse is never a bad idea.

Take your kids in twice a year!

It’s as important for little ones to get their teeth cleaned and checked as it is for grown-ups! It’s even more important, in fact. Healthy baby teeth grow into healthy adult teeth. So don’t forget to bring those babies in just after they’ve cut their first tooth or celebrated their first birthday, whichever comes first. 

Learn more about kid's teeth

What’s plaque?

Your mouth is full of bacteria, and they thrive off of the sugary carbs left in your teeth after a meal. While they’re munching away and rapidly multiplying, they create acids that eat away at your teeth.

Left alone, these bacteria will make a sticky film of damaging, irritating plaque.

What’s tartar?

Over time, plaque hardens into tartar. Tartar is nasty stuff. If you don’t get rid of it, it’ll make your gums swollen. That’s called gingivitis. Left untreated, it can cause permanent gum and bone damage. 

You can’t get rid of tartar with just a toothbrush or even floss. Only a thorough dental cleaning will do the trick. 

How can I stop plaque and tartar buildup?

Regular brushing and flossing, of course! Taking good care of your teeth at home will help keep bacteria from building up and damaging your teeth and gums. Over time, tartar can get even the most diligent brushers and flossers. That’s why it’s so important to get a cleaning every six months!