Health Safety Protocols

To Our Valued Patients at Surprise Smiles,

Welcome! We are open, looking forward to seeing returning patients, accepting new patients, and operating under normal business hours! The Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDS) is still not recommending any type of closures or modification in hours. We will continue to monitor information coming from both the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and AZDHS and keep you apprised of any changes or updates. We will stay on top of this information and bring it to you as soon as possible through our website, email, and social media.

As we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, our dentists and dental team want to assure you that we are continuing to do our best to make sure it a priority that we are following the latest health and safety guidelines from the CDC, specifically as they relate to the dental industry. We value keeping our patients and staff members safe and comfortable.

As part of our daily standard health and safety protocols, our office follows ‘Universal Precautions’ in order to protect our patients and our staff. These are precautions we have always taken, and are not new. By taking ‘universal precautions’ means we always assume that anyone could potentially be carrying a contagious and dangerous disease. We therefore follow strict guidelines to prevent the transmission of any potential disease, be it COVID-19 (Coronavirus), hepatitis, tuberculosis, HIV, or any other disease. This has been a standard of care we follow, per the CDC, in regard to blood borne pathogens.

These measures include:
• strict hand washing protocols

• use of (single use) disposable protective equipment and barriers

• thorough disinfection of exposed or potentially exposed surfaces after every patient visit

• disinfection and high-heat steam sterilization of instruments and routine monitoring of sterilization verification

• continued education on infection control

Specific to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) we have added in additional precautionary and cleaning measures including:
• disinfecting common surface areas every 30 minutes

• providing hand sanitizer in common areas

• screening everyone who enters our offices based on CDC recommendations

• offering preprocedural mouth rinse

As state and national health and safety regulations change and evolve during these times, Surprise Smiles is dedicated to monitoring and evaluating our dental practice and office space for any potential risks as we serve our patients and community. We strive to maintain an approach to our dentistry services that is both safe and beneficial to everyone we serve.

We strive to provide a safe, healthy, comfortable, and relaxed environment for everyone that comes into our dental office. We follow the American Dental Association’s Update to Office Procedures During COVID-19 in regard to safe office procedures, workplace hazards, and making decisions for best office practices. We stay informed on recent information given to dentists in this regard, as well as keeping up to date with any changes recommended by the CDC.

Please let us know if you have any questions in regard to our health and safety protocols here at Surprise Smiles. We recognize that it can be challenging during these unprecedented times of COVID-19. We all want to get back to our normal lives, and we will be able to do so, in a safe, wise, and healthy manner. We will be happy to answer any questions that you may have in regard to our dental practice health and safety protocols, cleaning, and disinfecting procedures we follow.

Thank you for continuing to be a valued patient here at Bradshaw Family Dental. We look forward to continuing to serve you and your dental needs through the various services we provide for you, from preventive dentistry, restorative dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, pediatric dentistry, sedation dentistry, dental implants and more!

Periodontal Disease
Prescott Valley, AZ

Periodontal (Gum) Disease Treatments provided by Our Expert Dentists in Prescott Valley, AZ at Bradshaw Family Dental

Woman holding her mouth in pain due to gum disease after making appointment at Bradshaw Family Dental in Prescott Valley, AZ

Woman holding her mouth in pain due to gum disease after making appointment at Bradshaw Family Dental in Prescott Valley, AZ

Bleeding gums or an infected tooth will never seem like a big issue. However, the complications can lead to several health issues affecting your body. One of the biggest threats to your dental health is periodontal disease.

At Bradshaw Family Dental, we have skilled dentists who understand that providing gentle and personalized care is important to patients suffering from gum disease. We have treated several patients suffering from periodontal disease, offering them peace of mind.

What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease refers to a severe form of gum disease. It starts by inflaming soft tissues surrounding the teeth. When not treated in time, it will erode the bone supporting the teeth leading to tooth or mobility loss. Periodontitis is dangerous since it can exist without any visible symptoms or pain. There are two categories of periodontal disease: periodontitis and gingivitis.

Why Periodontal Disease Treatment is Necessary

Periodontal diseases affect your jawbone and gum health, making up the teeth’s support system and structure. Apart from the unhealthy gums that will pose aesthetic problems to you, if left untreated, it can lead to swollen, receding, and red gums. If the disease reaches advanced stages, supporting bone will start deteriorating while the teeth will shift, becoming loose and even falling out in severe cases.

This disease will not only affect your natural smile, but it will also severely affect your chewing and speaking ability. You must treat periodontal disease early to avoid losing teeth. Getting a dental exam will help detect periodontal diseases early.

What Are the Stages of Periodontal Disease?

The initial stage of periodontal disease is gingivitis, caused mainly by a pileup of plaque in the teeth. When plaque is left to sit for long periods, it will harden, becoming tartar. Getting rid of tartar on your own is difficult since it seeps below the gum line.

You can quickly treat gingivitis by practicing a good oral hygiene routine. Flossing and brushing twice a day consistently will do the trick. When too much plaque piles up, gums may still be inflamed or bleed. This is because plaque is spreading to areas the toothbrush cannot reach. Our dentist will help eliminate the excess plaque in a single sitting.

Periodontal Disease Procedures

You will start your periodontal therapy by having a professional dental cleaning. It is the same cleaning dentists give you whenever you come for your routine dental visit. A dental cleaning will help remove the tartar and plaque layer on the teeth. After cleaning, specialized treatment of active periodontal disease will be performed.

Deep cleaning, also known as scaling will do away with the hidden buildup. Our dentists will use ultrasonic cleaners or hand tools to help in removing tartar and plaque. Using ultrasonic cleaning equipment ensures the fast breakdown of excess and hardened tartar.

Root planing will then be performed. It is the smoothing out of the rough spots affecting the tooth root. This will make it easier to remove bacteria hiding in crevices ensuring the gums have cleaner surfaces so they can get attached. Scaling and root planing procedures may take one or two visits, depending on the tartar and plaque amount.

Our dentists can opt to use medications like antibiotic gels during therapy. The medication will help reduce bacterial counts, ease the swollen gums and shrink periodontal pockets. The gel will always be applied after scaling and root planing. Our dentists sometimes prescribe mouth rinse you can use at home. Antimicrobial mouth rinse contains ingredients that can combat bacteria. The mouth rinse also helps in preventing more bacterial infections.

Is Periodontal Disease Treatment Painful?

Our dentists will use a numbing agent on the tooth roots and gums before treatment. The numbing agent acts quickly and will help numb your mouth. However, scaling or root planing will cause slight discomfort if you have a low pain threshold.

You will still feel tenderness and discomfort when the anesthesia wears off, although the unpleasant sensation disappears after a day. In case you worry about pain, never hesitate to inform our dentists before they embark on the procedure. Dentists will always consider other sedation methods.

How Long Does Periodontal Disease Treatment Take?

The duration the gums take to heal will be determined by the degree of the gum disease. In most cases, it will take two to four weeks to heal. However, the deeper pockets can take several months to heal. Since the mouth will be inflamed and tender during this period, our dentists will advise you to consume a soft food diet, especially on the first two days after treatment.

Can You Reverse Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is only reversible at the gingivitis stage when only the gums and teeth are infected. Bi-annual dentist visits and rigorous hygiene routines will help reverse it. The early and advanced periodontitis stages can cause bone problems, making it irreversible.

How to Care for Periodontal Disease

Brushing after every meal and removal of food debris will prevent plaque growth and hardening into tartar. Brushing will not remove tartar, and the only option will be to visit our dentists, who will use their experience and state-of-the-art equipment to help remove the tartar. The tartar is the anchor where plaque gets attached, increasing in size and becoming more damaging. Make it a habit of cleaning the tongue since it also contains bacteria.

Flossing will help remove food debris and plaque that accumulates between the teeth and areas the brush cannot reach. Ensure you floss once a day.

Use mouth rinse as a method to help with hard-to-reach areas like inside the cheeks and the buccal corridor. However, do not use the mouth rinse to replace flossing or brushing.

Visiting our dentists every six months for gums and teeth evaluation will allow the dentists to detect problems before they develop into serious issues that are difficult to treat. Attending patient education classes will enable you to understand all the factors related to periodontal disease and all the risks involved.

Request a Prescott Valley Dental Appointment Today!

Interested in learning more about periodontal disease? Do not hesitate to contact Bradshaw Family Dental at (928) 277-0076 to schedule a consultation. We will discuss all of your concerns and needs and help develop the best course of action.

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Bradshaw Family Dental
& Smile Design Center

Prescott Valley
7136 East Pav Way
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
(928) 277-0076

Prescott
172 E Merritt St.
Suite F
Prescott, Arizona 86301
(928) 443-1200

Periodontal Disease - Prescott Valley, AZ • Bradshaw Family Dental
At Bradshaw Family Dental is to prevent all damaging disease and maladies from taking hold of your mouth. Learn more about gum disease here.
Bradshaw Family Dental, 7136 East Pav Way, Prescott Valley, AZ 86314 - (928) 277-0076 - bradshawfamilydental.com - 12/3/2024 - Tags: gum disease Prescott Valley -

Health Safety Protocols

Periodontal Disease Prescott Valley, AZ