Regular dental cleanings, exams, and X-rays are essential to oral health. Routine dental visits allow our team to keep track of your dental problems and keep your teeth and gums clean. Regular dental care is a part of our general dentistry treatments that help patients maintain their dental health. At Brilliant Smiles Family Dentistry, Dr. Sheryl Jenicke offers general dentistry in her Cadillac, MI, dental office.
General dental treatments like sports mouthguards and emergency dental care can prevent complex problems. With these treatments, we help patients prevent future oral health problems by ensuring they’re healthy today. Preventive care is a part of our dental services for new and existing patients.
General Dentistry in Cadillac, MI
Our general dentistry services help patients maintain and improve their oral health. Treating tooth pain, gum infection, and urgent dental problems will keep your mouth healthy. Our general dental services include:
- Custom Mouthguard: We create custom sports mouthguards for patients who play contact sports. Wearing a properly fitted mouthguard during sports can prevent tooth damage and loss. We also recommend sports mouthguards if you wear braces.
- Emergency Dentistry: Please contact our office if you have a dental emergency, including a knocked-out tooth, broken restoration, or excessive bleeding. Immediately treating a dental emergency can preserve your natural teeth and gums.
- Family Dentistry: As a family-friendly dental office, we see patients of all ages meet their current oral health needs. From children to seniors, our office provides treatment tailored for each age group.
- Laser Dentistry: Dr. Jenicke uses soft tissue lasers to remove infected gum tissue, treat tongue and lip-tie, and contour the gums. Lasers are a comfortable alternative to traditional surgical tools. Dental lasers use light and heat to cut tissue.
- Tooth Extraction: Sometimes, removing teeth is the best way to treat wisdom teeth or severely infected teeth. We ensure you feel comfortable during tooth removal and provide post-treatment instructions for comfortable healing.
We recommend that patients visit our office every six months. At regular visits, we take regular X-rays to find dental problems we cannot see with a quick exam. If we find a problem, we can create a custom treatment plan.
We also provide dental cleanings. During these cleanings, we remove hardened bacteria, floss between each tooth, and polish the teeth. Our team can provide recommendations for you to improve your oral hygiene routine at home. Depending on your dental problems, we may recommend that you visit our office more often for care.
How to Prevent Cavities
Cavities are holes or pits in the teeth. A tooth infection destroys the teeth, creating holes in the tooth enamel. There are multiple symptoms you can experience in addition to cavities:
- Sensitivity to hot and cold water or foods
- Pain in your tooth or near the gum line
- Teeth that change color
Good oral hygiene is the best defense against cavities. We recommend flossing and then brushing with fluoride toothpaste. Your body’s saliva fights decay. Saliva contains special chemicals that rinse away many harmful materials.
We recommend sealants for younger patients to prevent cavities. Younger patients are more at risk of developing cavities. This is because they have more sugary foods and drinks, which can attract bacteria. Children may also not clean their teeth and gums well when they learn to brush and floss. We recommend regular cleanings and sealants for children to protect their molars and premolars from infection.
Metal-free fillings are also a great option for patients who need to fill cavities. Traditional metal fillings can contain mercury. Biting and chewing can release small amounts of harmful gases. Modern white fillings are created from composite, tooth-colored materials that blend in with natural teeth. These fillings use non-toxic materials that are safe for all patients.
Dental Care for Adults and Seniors
As you age, you may need to look out for developing dental symptoms that occur over time. Here are a few factors to consider and discuss with your dentists:
Cavities and Decay
Many of today’s seniors grew up drinking water or using toothpaste without fluoride. As a result, they were likely to develop decay at a younger age. Seniors may have also had more metal fillings than many of today’s younger population.
Regular dental visits and at-home care can prevent cavities. We also recommend that seniors replace old restorations as needed. Our team will recommend a treatment plan to improve tooth strength and gum health.
Gum Disease
Older patients are more likely to develop gum disease. Patients who smoke, damage their gums, or develop medical problems are more likely to develop gum disease.
However, most patients can maintain their gums with good home care. Regular preventive care at the dentist’s office is also essential. Deep cleanings in our office can help remove food debris and bacteria from the mouth. If you have gum disease, we often recommend you visit our office more often for gum cleanings.
Dry Mouth
Dry mouth occurs when there is a lack of saliva in the mouth. This dry environment results in an imbalance in the normal bacteria in the mouth. The mouth contains good and bad bacteria. Bad bacteria can build in patients with dry mouth
Eventually, patients with dry mouth may experience gum disease or tooth decay. To help combat a dry mouth, avoid caffeine and tobacco. Make sure you drink plenty of water and avoid sugary foods and drinks. Some medications can also cause dry mouth.
Medications and Health Problems
Some medications contain sugar that causes dry mouth. Sugar and a dry environment can increase the risk of tooth and gum infection. Certain medical problems can also increase the risk of dental issues.
The most common conditions and medications that may lead to gum and tooth decay include:
- Antidepressants
- Antihistamines
- Pain medications
- Cancer treatments
- Sjogren Syndrome
- HIV/AIDS
- Diabetes
- Parkinson’s
Tell us about your current medications and related symptoms. As a new patient, we will ask for your medical history and current medications because they can impact treatment.
Seniors living with diabetes are also more prone to the effects of gum disease. High blood sugar increases sugar in the mouth, which attracts bacteria. Keeping blood sugar levels in check can reduce the risk of tooth and gum infection. Additionally, seniors with poor immune systems are more likely to experience mouth infections.
General Dentistry FAQs
General dentistry is dedicated to preventative care and keeping your smile healthy. Learn more by reading the answers to these commonly asked questions.
How often should I visit the dentist?
Visit the dentist for a regular checkup and cleaning every six months. This allows us to track the development of your mouth and catch any problems you may have early on. You also receive a deep cleaning. You can’t reach every corner of your mouth, even with the best toothbrush. Our specialized dental tools can reach the places your products at home can’t.
Should I use a manual or electric toothbrush?
Both are effective if you use them correctly. Children or patients with restricted movements may benefit more from an electric toothbrush. If you can’t perform the correct brushing motion, an electric toothbrush allows you to still get a deep clean.
Why do I need to floss?
Flossing is incredibly important for your oral health. When you eat, food particles get stuck between your teeth, attracting harmful oral bacteria. The longer the food particles are there, the more likely you will succumb to tooth decay or gum disease. Your toothbrush can’t always get all of the particles out, so flossing goes between teeth to dislodge them.
Why do I need dental X-rays?
We can’t always see the entirety of your mouth with just a look. Cavities can form between your teeth, wisdom teeth can be impacted under the surface, or an infection can form inside a tooth. An X-ray allows us to see these things to treat them before they become more serious.
Are dental X-rays safe?
Many people worry about radiation when they hear the word X-ray. However, there’s no need to worry about these X-rays. As technology continues to evolve, digital X-rays only put out a very small amount of radiation compared to traditional ones. They’ll continue to get safer as technology updates and advances.
Why is fluoride important for my teeth?
Fluoride is an essential mineral for your teeth. It remineralizes tooth enamel and keeps that outer layer of your teeth strong. It’s naturally found in most tap water in the United States, but you can also get supplemental fluoride. We may recommend fluoride treatment at the dentist or using a specific fluoride toothpaste at home.
Take Care of Your Health
Get high-quality care with general dentistry in Cadillac, MI. Call 231-389-6388 or schedule a dental appointment with Dr. Jenicke online. We serve the greater Cadillac and Northern Michigan area. Please let us know if you have any questions about your care. We’re here to help.