Preventative Dentistry
in Lakeland, Florida
A hygiene appointment is not just a cleaning. Just as an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, the best oral health investment you can make is a regular appointment with one of our highly skilled, knowledgeable and dedicated dental hygienists.
These Florida State-licensed dental professionals are specially trained in preventive dental care. They are here to help you achieve and maintain good oral health. Once you have completed any dental care, from simple fillings or crowns, to implants and cosmetic dentistry, your hygienist will help you maintain the new restorations for years and years to come.
We are proud to say that each of our dental hygienists, like everyone in our practice, are dedicated to continuing education at the highest level. Agnini Family Dental encourages each hygienist to attend multiple continuing education courses every year (beyond the minimum required by law) in order to ensure that our patients continue to receive the very best care.
As an Agnini Family Dental patient, you will see the same dental hygienist at each visit. A relationship and rapport develops, and your hygienist becomes familiar with your dental history and your individual needs.
Our hygienists spend up to a full hour with each patient ensuring the most comprehensive and thorough cleaning and examination possible.
Benefits of regular visits to a hygienist for checkups and cleanings
- Many conditions are detected and treated before they can become unpleasant, time-consuming, costly, and potentially dangerous problems.
- Studies show that patients who see their hygienist on a scheduled basis are more likely to have healthier bone and gums and keep their teeth significantly longer.
- Poor oral health can affect your ability to properly chew and digest your food, leading to serious nutritional and systemic problems.
- Poor oral health can affect your appearance and your self-esteem.
- Poor oral health can have serious implications on your general health and well being.
Review and assess your overall health history, during the first visit, to determine if there are any existing medical conditions that could have an impact on your treatment.
- Assess, at each subsequent visit, your overall oral health and note any changes
- They are specially trained and qualified to administer local anesthesia to eliminate any discomfort
- Look for problems, including cavities and gum disease that can be treated before they become much more serious
- Teach, review, and reinforce the techniques of good oral hygiene, including effective brushing and flossing
- Take digital x-rays
- Remove hard and soft deposits (calculus and plaque – which contains bacteria) both below and above the gum line
- Polish teeth
- Apply cavity-preventative agents, including fluorides wherever needed
- Apply special desensitizing liquids to sensitive teeth
- Counsel on the link between diet and nutrition and oral health
- Work with you to develop a personalized oral health plan
There can be a fine line between listening to your body and being a hypochondriac. A new ache in your knee doesn’t necessarily dictate a visit to an orthopedic surgeon. The same can be true with your oral health. A temporary sensitivity to hot or cold will often pass in a day or two. But there are various signs of oral health problems that you should not ignore.
Pain — While a tooth may have temporary sensitivity, continuing pain, whether a dull ache or sharp pain, needs to be addressed. The main cause is usually decay that is beginning to affect the nerves in the tooth. This decay needs to be removed before it threatens the tooth. Pain can also mean a tooth is fractured, there is an abscess, or the gums around the tooth are infected.
Sores — Everyone can get a canker sore, but if a sore doesn’t heal within three or four days, it needs to be checked out. Same goes for any lump orchange in the mouth, gums, tongue, or cheeks. These can all be signs of oral cancer. The skin cancer melanoma can also show itself in the mouth.
Bleeding — Healthy gums do not bleed. If you’ve just flossed and you notice a streak of red when you rinse, that can be something to pay attention to. One night, no big deal. Ongoing bleeding? That can be a telltale sign of gingivitis (gum inflammation) or gum disease.
Chronic snoring — Everyone snores now and then. Maybe you have a little congestion from a cold or had one too many cocktails. Chronic snoring, especially accompanied by symptoms such as daytime fatigue and morning headaches, can point to sleep apnea. In sleep apnea, the snorer’s airway actually becomes blocked and the person stops breathing for a few seconds and then usually wakes for a split second. This can happen dozens of times during the night.
Bad breath — This isn’t the bad breath from eating those garlic mashed potatoes; this is chronic halitosis, and it can be a sign of more serious health issues. Chronic halitosis can indicate periodontal disease, or even liver or kidney disease.
We believe our dental hygienists play an essential role in our patients’ oral health and well-being. And our patients agree!