The staff at Harbour Landing Dental thought that this year, we would try something new.

Many of you out there have a family member or friend that have lost their dental insurance over the last 2 years, and have not visited the dentist for their semi-annual cleanings. Dental Plaque builds up fast, and if left uncheck, will start to eat away at precious gum tissue, and promote periodontal disease.

S Mutans are the bad bacteria that create and form plaque. They feed off of sugary sweets such as High Fructose Corn Syrup, Fruit Juice, Candies and Soda Pop. They eat the residue left in the mouth from these foods, and excrete a sticky flexible cellulose substance called dental plaque. When the S Mutan level reaches high levels in the mouth, they break away and enter the blood stream, affecting heart tissue, especially in the large heart valve that does most of the work. When S Mutans build up in the heart valve, that valve must work even harder than before, and has been proven to promote stroke, and heart disease.

Dental Oral Hygiene is an important factor in getting gum tissue healthy. But keep in mind that gum tissue is the same tissue that the heart is made from and several other organs in the body as well. If the gum tissue gets disease, then it is most likely that the heart and other organs will pick up the disease as well.

Year after year, people are always looking for a unique gift to give to friends and family members. If you have a friend or family member that hasn't been to the dentist in quite awhile, take advantage of our new special.

1. Deep Cleaning on all 4 sections of the mouth. This process uses a special ultrasonic tool that goes deep under the gum line, to remove plaque. Plenty of nova cane is used to num the gums, and then we work all 4 sides of the mouth, top and bottom to remove this dangerous plaque. The goal is to remove as much plaque as possible, so it doesn't reproduce and spread as fast the next time. The process takes about 60 to 90 minutes to complete.
2. Routine X-Rays to find hidden problems such as crowns that have a cracked tooth underneath it, Dental cavities such as holes, tunnels, and new infected spots, And finally worn out silver fillings that look like they have outlived their expected life span.
3. Complete Oral Exam to check for dental cavities caused by S Mutans. And other conditions such as tooth pain, cracked crowns, loose fillings, compacted molar fillings and so forth, anything that was missed by the X-Rays. Also, gum pockets will be checked for adequate levels. The patient then has the elective option to start any treatments needed to restore their mouth back to good health again.

Dental plaque is biofilm (usually colorless) that builds up on the teeth. If not removed regularly, it can lead to dental cavities (caries) or periodontal problems (such as gingivitis).

The microorganisms that form the biofilm are almost entirely bacteria (mainly Streptococcus mutans and anaerobes), with the composition varying by location in the mouth. Examples of such anaerobes include fusobacterium and Actinobacteria.

The microorganisms present in dental plaque are all naturally present in the oral cavity, and are normally harmless. However, failure to remove plaque by regular tooth brushing means that they are allowed to build up in a thick layer. Those microorganisms nearest the tooth surface convert to anaerobic respiration; it is in this state that they start to produce acids The acids then start to attack the protective enamel of the tooth, and the dentin.

I took a picture of the inside of my mouth with the new intra-oral camera and was shocked to see how much plaque had grown. It had been 18 months since my last cleaning, and I had no idea it was this bad.

Frequent professional cleanings are required every 3 to 6 months, to keep plaque in check.

This man waited too long, and plaque build-up had lead to both gum disease and tooth decay. The missing tooth is the main upper chewing tooth, and you can see the molar in the back has been decayed to the level to where there may not be enough healthy tooth structure to support a crown, and will require removal soon, which will result in the loss of a tooth.