This week is National Dental Hygienists Week, so don’t forget to thank you hygienist for taking care of your smile! Our hygienists are so important to our practice because they’re important to your consistent good oral health. With regular hygiene checkups, we can keep your mouth healthy and your smile looking nice. We can also catch and prevent problems.

Take a look below at some of the ways we go above and beyond for your hygiene visits in Highland, MI. If it’s time for your checkup, or if you haven’t been in a while, call 248-329-3552 today. We’re always welcoming new patients, even if you haven’t been to the dentist in years. If you’re new to Highland Advanced Dental Care, ask about our $49 special when you call!

Your Dental Hygiene Appointment Starts With An Exam

We take your dental cleanings and exams seriously. We aren’t here to just rush you through an appointment. You’re not another set of teeth; you have needs that we are here to address, even if that’s just keeping your dental health on track.

First, Dr. LoCascio will comprehensively examine you. This will take a little longer if you’ve never visited us before or if we find something of concern. We’ll also take digital X-rays that help us predict the state of your oral health. Your hygienist, Bonnie or Candice, will examine you too. Just what are we looking for during these visits? A few things include:

  • Cavities
  • Tooth infection
  • Tooth damage
  • Gum disease
  • Other problems in your gums and tissues
  • Oral cancer (our special handheld device uses fluorescence to help detect even tiny abnormalities)
  • Worn teeth that may indicate teeth grinding/TMJ problems and therefore sleep apnea problems, in many cases
  • Any changes from your last visit if we’ve seen you before

We’ve been told by countless patients that we have the most thorough exams around. And why not? After all, we don’t want to miss something only for you to have to come back later to get it fixed, when it’s more painful, more expensive, and more time-consuming.

Whatever we find, we’ll discuss with you in as much detail as you’d like. We hope that you’ll ask any questions you have, too – no need to feel shy, embarrassed, or like you’re wasting our time.

We Want You To Stay Comfortable During Your Dental Cleaning

If we don’t need to treat anything urgent first, then our hygienists will give you a very thorough cleaning. If your gums are sensitive, please let us know. We’ll adjust our cleaning to help keep you more comfortable. If you’re very anxious about your cleaning, don’t hesitate to share that with us. There are things we can do to make you more comfortable:

  • Talking you through everything so you have no fear about what’s left unsaid or so you won’t feel out of control, like you don’t know what’s going on
  • Walking you through images of your mouth if we detect anything so you can be more informed
  • DentalVibe for painless injections if you need to be numbed for comfort
  • Inhaled sedation that you’ll recover from almost immediately after your appointment
  • Headphones for music to relax you
  • Pillows and blankets to keep you warm and cozy

Plus, we’ve intentionally invested in technology to make you more comfortable and make your time here pass more quickly. That includes our digital X-rays, our VELscope oral cancer detector, and an intraoral camera that lets us see magnified images in your mouth in real time (which we can share with you on a TV).

Our hygienists are also very personable, so just having someone chat to you and keep your mind preoccupied can go a long way for your relaxing hygiene checkups.

Expect A Thoroughly Clean Smile Every Time

When your hygienist is cleaning your teeth, she will use our modern tools to get into every crevice and groove. This isn’t something you can do at home. Their training and tools are what gets off all that tartar, or calculus, that’s built up over time.

Once those yellowish layers of bacteria are removed, as well as surface stains from coffee and more, you’ll notice your teeth look shinier and brighter. If you come in twice a year as we recommend, you’ll be able to keep your teeth looking better longer. We can also talk to you about any smile improvements like teeth whitening if you want to boost your smile’s appearance even more.

Don’t Neglect Your Dental Hygiene Visits

It’s easy to neglect hygiene checkups when you’re busy, but along with good oral hygiene at home, it’s one of the best ways to guarantee your smile’s long-term health. To schedule your next hygiene checkup with us, call our Highland, MI dentist’s office today at 248-329-3552 or use our online form.