Located At 1301 Bridgeport Way Suite 109, Suffolk VA 23435

Dental Hygiene

Routine Dental Checkups

At Breeze Dental we are passionate about preventive care. Routine dental checkups are vital to maintain good oral hygiene and are the best way to detect problems at their earliest stages. Early detection and treatment saves unnecessary discomfort, time and money.

A regular home prevention routine consists of brushing at least twice a day and flossing a least once a day. But did you know there are other tools to make taking care of your mouth easier? Depending on your needs, there are specials toothpaste, rinses, and even flossing aids that can help to keep your smile bright and healthy for years to come. Breeze Dental can help you find the best tools to enhance your daily hygiene routine making your professional cleaning appointment shorter and less stressful.

The Academy of General Dentistry recommends checkups twice a year depending on the conditions of your mouth. Oral hygiene needs change with age and the condition of your teeth and gums. Your dentist may recommend a checkup schedule that is more or less frequent than twice a year.

Preventative Dentistry

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Are you due for a dental cleaning?

Call us at 757-484-1444 or click below:

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What to Expect

What does your dental exam involve?

Cancer screening of your mouth, face, and neck
Examination of digital radiographs
A gingival health exam
Professional cleaning of your teeth
Examination of existing restorations

Clinical Examination

During a visual exam, your dentist will look not only for cracked and decayed teeth, but also for growths and sores on the roof and floor of your mouth, tongue, lips, gums, and the mucous membranes that line your cheeks and gums. Then your dentist will check the lymph nodes of your head, jaw and neck for pain, tenderness and flexibility.

Digital Diagnostics

Digital X-rays: Digital X-rays detect dental problems that cannot be found during a visual exam. We use Digital X-rays that provide instant results and emit 90 percent less radiation. Your dentist determines how often you need to have Digital X-rays.
3D Imaging: Three-dimensional imaging technology determines the precise position and shape of each tooth. Your dentist will determine whether the use of this technology is appropriate to aid the development of a dental treatment plan or to follow the progress of your dental treatment.

Gingival Pocket Exam

Healthy teeth require healthy gums. A gingival pocket exam determines the presence or risk of gum (periodontal) disease.

What to Know:

Daily tooth brushing and flossing remove food debris and plaque from the gingival pocket. If not removed, harmful bacteria penetrate the gumline and deepen the pocket.
As the depth of a gingival pocket increases, so does the risk of tooth damage and infection that leads to gum disease.
During your exam, a hand-held instrument is gently placed between gums and teeth (sulcus) to measure the depth of each pocket.
In its earliest stage, gum disease may be reversible. Since it rarely has symptoms of pain, it is possible to have gum disease and not know it.

Professional Cleaning

Your teeth are cleaned using special instruments to remove calculus from above and below the gumline that may develop even with careful brushing and flossing, especially in area that are difficult to reach with normal routine toothbrushing. Afterwards, your teeth are polished. Tooth polishing makes your teeth look and feel great.

The records of our patients’ dental checkups, diagnostics and treatments are kept electronically. Our patients benefit because our dentists and specialists have immediate, comprehensive access to medical histories as well as the results of previous and current exams, diagnostics, treatment plans and progress reports.

The key to healthy teeth and gums is keeping plaque and food decay from building up in your mouth. Plaque and food decay attract harmful bacteria that cause cavities, gum disease and persistent bad breath.

Your tongue attracts bacteria, too. During the normal process of eating, tiny fragments of food collect on your tongue. As these fragments decay, bacteria create a filmy white coating on the top of your tongue.

Practice the four-step routine to keep plaque and harmful bacteria from building up in your mouth.

Easy Four-Step Routine

To keep your teeth and gums healthy:

Brush your teeth and use an antiseptic mouthwash twice daily (after breakfast and before bedtime)
Use dental floss daily
Clean your tongue regularly by using a toothbrush or a tongue scraper
See your dentist for routine dental checkups

Benefits of Good Hygiene

When you practice good oral hygiene, you will:

Have less plaque to remove during routine dental checkups, so professional cleanings will be faster and more comfortable
Minimize your need for dental procedures due to tooth decay or gum disease
Minimize your annual dental budget
Feel healthier
Enjoy fresher breath
Be more confident about your smile

Infants & Small Children

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a child’s first visit to the dentist be around age three unless any of these dental health risk factors exist:

Sleeping with a cup or bottle
Thumb sucking
Teeth staining
Down Syndrome

Children's Oral Hygiene

When your child’s teeth begin to erupt, wipe them daily with a moist washcloth to remove tooth plaque.

As more of your child teeth erupt, use a soft child’s toothbrush with non-fluoride toothpaste (like Baby OraGel) until your child is able to spit out the toothpaste.

When your child is ready to use fluoridated toothpaste, use only a small pea-size amount on the toothbrush.

Here are some first visit tips: