Preventive Dentistry

1. Cleanings: Regular teeth cleanings are completed by our certified dental hygenists on a dentist prescribed basis. During this appointment, we take measurements of you gums, oral tissues and recession to devise an individualized periodontal (gum) treatment plan.
2. Sealants are thin plastic covers that are placed on the top grooves of teeth that are prone to decay.
3. Patient education: We provide dental education with respect to diet, general health, medical illness, hygiene and decreasing your risk of cavities.

1. production of VSC (Volatile sulphur compounds) on the tongue. In such instances, instruction in cleaning of the tongue using tongue cleaners and rinses are appropriate.
2. inadequate oral hygiene leading to high levels of bacteria and proteinaceous materials that produce excessive amounts of VSC. These individuals require oral hygiene instruction in flossing and brushing. In other cases, adequate oral hygiene is not possible because other dental treatment, such as changing poor quality/old/broken fillings.
3. inadequate salivary flow. Depending on the reason for the reduction in saliva, a number of control measures might be recommended, and the individual would be referred to the proper specialist.
4. a medical condition that requires that attention of a dentist or a specialist in oral medicine or medicine.

1. Masking. The user attempts to mask the smell of VSC with a strong appealing scent product such as mints. This strategy is unlikely to be successful (because it is very hard to mask strong odours for a sustained period of time). Moreover, it is not the most beneficial strategy because it leaves the oral tissues in contact with VSC and there is increasing evidence that VSC can produce deleterious biological effects.
2. Chemical elimination. A component such as zinc ion (used in some mouth rinses and toothpastes) is used to complex with the VSC and other sulphur containing substances involved in odour production and remove them.
3. Antimicrobials. Some toothpastes and mouth rinses contain antimicrobials such as Triclosan. These act to reduce the number of bacteria and thus reduce the amount of VSC produced by the bacteria.
4. Combinations. Some products contain a mixture of active ingredients (such as Triclosan, Zn or Hydrogen Peroxide) which act to reduce bacteria and VSC. In other instances, a single compound may have more that one effect: hydrogen peroxide, for example, reduces bacteria and reacts with thiol and disulphide of amino acids.

1. Electric toothbrushes
   • Regardless of the type of device, the best results are obtained when the patient is instructed in its proper use because the moving bristles have to be placed correctly around the teeth/mouth.
   • At one time, powered brushed were recommended primarily for those who lacked fine motor skills or had difficulty holding and manipulating a manual toothbrush. This, however, is no longer true and almost anyone can benefit by using a powered toothbrush.
2. Powered interdental flossing devices
   • In our opinion, these are not highly effective for many patients.
   • If the embrasure spaces are enlarged, especially true for most patients who have received periodontal therapy, the floss does not provide sufficient contact with the root surfaces to completely remove interproximal plaque. This is also true for removal of plaque from under the gums.