A Chevy Chase, MD dental team, supports your healthiest, attractive smile with regular exams and cleanings
Maintaining your healthy, brilliant smile is a shared responsibility between Health 360 Dental and our valued patients from Chevy Chase and Bethesda, MD, and the greater D.C. area. Drs Erick Hosaka and Valerie Cassis partner with patients and their families to provide personalized care to each person’s needs, lifestyle, and goals, and that evolves with them.
The dental exam and professional cleanings
Underlying problems may exist, even if you think your mouth looks and feels fine. Only your dentist will know for sure if you have early-stage gum disease or tooth decay. Early-stage oral conditions are often “silent” (no symptoms) or produce such subtle symptoms that it’s easy not to think much of them.
At Health 360 Dental, we use our advanced training and diagnostic aids, like intraoral cameras and safe x-rays or scans, to detect problems early when they’re easiest to be treated successfully. During these dental check-ups, scheduled at least every six months, Drs Hosaka or Cassis will also check your “bite” (how your upper and lower teeth come together when you bite down) and for abnormalities that could warrant a biopsy or further investigation. Oral cancers, too, have a high “cure” rate when treated promptly and before it spreads to other parts of the face or organs.
Additionally, our skilled hygienists use special instruments and gentle care to remove plaque build-up (tartar), bacteria, and surface stains during these appointments. Tartar is stubborn; you cannot remove it with a toothbrush or floss. And no person, no matter how diligent, can remove all plaque from teeth, at the gum line, or other surfaces such as the tongue. If harmful bacteria are not removed, it combines with starches and sugars to produce acids that erode at the teeth and acids that inflame and destroy gum tissue.
Other services to keep you healthy.
If you have gum disease, your dentist may suggest a “deep cleaning” as an alternative to the standard professional clean to resolve inflammation. This procedure is known as “scaling and root planing,” and involves removing bacteria from underneath the gum line and smoothing out the root surfaces of the teeth. These rough surfaces tend to collect harmful bacteria.
Our team will discuss oral care products and cleaning techniques relevant to your situation; for instance, if you have difficulty cleaning underneath bridges or other dental work, we may recommend floss threaders or interdental brushes. Additionally, we offer a range of preventive services that can be designed or administered during these routine check-ups:
- Safe fluoride treatment to build up the protective armor of your teeth (enamel)
- Dental sealants to protect molars, which tend to be vulnerable to decay due to their location at the back of the mouth and their pitted and fissured surfaces
- Oral appliances, such as mouthguards to protect the teeth, jaws, and other tissues from sports-related dental injuries, and nightguards or splints to protect the teeth from damage caused by teeth grinding (bruxism) and to ease the stress placed on jaw joints (TMJs)
Proactive care is easier on your body (and budget!) than restorative or reactive dentistry that treats existing problems rather than prevents them. Contact us at (301) 686-5255 to schedule your check-up!