Preventative Dental Care in Portland, OR

Prevention is always better than treatment when it comes to your dental health. By combining consistent home care with regular dental check-ups and cleanings, we can achieve beautiful, healthy smiles for a lifetime. During your dental exam, we will work together to develop a prevention plan that is both practical and effective for your dental health.

Oral Examination

Regular checkups and dental x-rays are fundamental for the best possible oral health. At Laurelhurst Dentistry, we recommend that our patients visit our office for regularly scheduled appointments every six months. For those with specialized treatment needs, visits may be scheduled more frequently as needed.

Professional Dental Hygiene

At Laurelhurst Dentistry, we believe prevention should be the basis of every treatment plan. We evaluate every patient’s individual risk factors for developing oral diseases such as tooth decay, periodontal disease, and oral cancer. By developing an appropriate prevention plan, we can help patients maintain beautiful healthy smiles for a lifetime and avoid costly dental treatment in the future.

Dental plaque and calculus can be removed through daily brushing and flossing, but there are places in your mouth that you cannot reach with a toothbrush and dental floss. A professional cleaning by one of our registered dental hygienists will ensure the very best removal of plaque and calculus in those hard-to-reach places. Regularly scheduled visits to Laurelhurst Dentistry are an essential part of your dental health, preventing gum disease and keeping your smile healthy and bright!

At-Home Dental Hygiene

Thorough teeth brushing and flossing practices are the best ways to prevent cavities and periodontal disease. Part of our treatment plans for our patients at Laurelhurst Dentistry include personalized instruction for the best at-home dental care to maintain optimal oral health and a healthy smile for life. We will guide you in all features of at-home dental hygiene, including proper brushing and flossing techniques.

Fluoride Treatment

We may decide that fluoride should be part of your overall dental treatment plan. Fluoride treatments help prevent the development of tooth decay, allowing your teeth to be more resistant to acid attacks from plaque, bacteria, and sugars in the mouth.

Tooth Sealants

Plaque and food particles can be brushed away from most surfaces of your teeth, but there are grooves in your teeth that often cannot be cleaned through regular brushing and flossing. At Laurelhurst Dentistry, we can seal these grooves using a tooth-colored resin material and help prevent the development of tooth decay in these areas.

Periodontal Disease & Scaling And Root Planing

Periodontal disease is a serious condition that occurs when the gum tissues and the bone around teeth become infected. Also known as gum disease or periodontitis, this condition is marked by irritated gum tissue due to the presence of the bacteria found in plaque. If you notice that your gum tissue is swollen, red, and bleeding easily, it’s important to let us know right away.

If left untreated, the gums can separate from the teeth, causing spaces to form between the teeth and the gums along the gumline. The result is the deterioration of gum tissue and jawbone, leading to tooth loss. Scaling and root planing is a common treatment for periodontal disease, providing a deeper cleaning between compromised teeth and gums and helping prevent progression of periodontal disease.

Mouth Guards

A variety of dental problems are the result of teeth grinding, also known as bruxism. Symptoms can include sensitive teeth, jaw pain, headaches and ear or neck aches. Teeth grinding can have serious, long-term effects, such as broken, chipped or cracked teeth. If you suspect that you grind or clench your teeth during sleep, the dentists at Laurelhurst Dentistry can provide you with a custom fitted night guard for your teeth from a simple impression of your top and bottom teeth, adjusting the fit to your unique needs.