Your oral health is a critical part of your overall well-being. Ensuring good oral health involves practicing good oral hygiene and seeking treatment for dental complications and emergencies. Routine dental checks will aid in the detection of potential dental complications and treat them to protect your teeth and prevent other health complications.

Part of maintaining your oral health is consulting with a skilled dentist to offer the proper assessment during your dental checkups and treatment options for your dental issues. A reliable dentist can assess your dental health issues and provide appropriate treatment that suits your needs and budget.

At Washington Dental, we offer expert dental services to all our clients. Our Redondo Beach Dentists are friendly and experienced in multiple fields of dentistry to ensure all your dental needs are met.

Preventive Dental Care

With your teeth' workload, wear, and tear may be inevitable. Coupled with poor oral hygiene practices and potential trauma, you may be at an increased risk of severe dental complications. Preventing these dental complications could save you more time and money than you need to treat them and restore your oral health.

Preventive dentistry aims to maintain your natural teeth and ensure a good smile. Standard preventive dental practices that your Redondo Beach dentist could recommend include:

Ensure Proper Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene is essential to ensuring a good and healthy smile. The components of proper oral hygiene include:

  • Regular brushing. Most oral health issues begin when food particles accumulate on the tooth enamel and gums. This results in the growth of bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease, among other complications. Your dentist will recommend the proper technique for brushing your teeth. This could include brushing at least twice a day and using fluoride toothpaste.
  • Flossing. Flossing your teeth helps to dislodge food particles between your teeth and gums. Flossing allows for cleaning tight spaces where the toothbrush cannot reach.

Regular Dental Visits

You do not need to have a dental complication to visit your dentist. Visiting your Redondo Beach Dentist at least twice a year is a great way to ensure good oral health. The following are some of the benefits of regular dental checkups:

  • Prevent future dental complications. Your dentist will perform dental X-rays and other assessments at regular dental check-ups. This allows for early detection of dental complications and proper treatment.
  • Save your teeth. The tooth cannot be saved when dental complications like decay are detected in later stages. Tooth extraction could be detrimental to your oral health. When you visit your dentist regularly, they can detect signs of decay or cavities and help you save the tooth.
  • Education on proper practices. You will receive appropriate education on oral health care during your routine dental checkups.

Professional Teeth Cleaning

Regular brushing and flossing help keep your teeth healthy and free of complications like gum disease and tooth decay. However, some stains could be challenging to remove with these basic practices. Professional teeth cleaning allows for the removal of tartar and plaque underneath the gums and between the teeth. This prevents the accumulation of bacteria that causes tooth decay.

The following are the steps of a professional teeth cleaning:

  • Physical examination. Before you undergo professional teeth cleaning, you will undergo a physical examination. This helps determine whether you are a good candidate for the procedure. You may need treatment before cleaning if you have inflamed gums or gingivitis.
  • Plaque and tartar removal. If you are a good fit for professional cleaning, your dentist will use a scalar to remove tartar and plaque between your teeth and around the gum line. Brushing and flossing can only remove plaque. When the plaque hardens into tartar, it can only be removed through professional cleaning.
  • Toothpaste cleaning. When all the tartar has been removed, your dentist can use an electric toothbrush to clean your enamel. Additionally, gritty toothpaste will be used to make the tooth surface smooth.
  • Expert flossing. Professional flossing helps remove food residues lodged deep into the gums. Your dentist can spot problematic gum areas during this step.
  • The last step in professional teeth cleaning is rinsing your mouth to remove leftover debris.

Fluoride Treatment

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that helps build strong teeth and protects them from cavities. Fluoride will support healthy tooth enamel by fighting bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. While fluoride is present in water, you may need fluoride treatment at your dentist’s office for maximum benefit.

Dentists offer fluoride treatment through highly concentrated gels, foams, or varnishes. With this form of treatment, more fluoride is absorbed into your body. If you have a gum disease or cavities history, your dentist could recommend fluoride treatment to protect your remaining natural teeth. A pediatric dentist could also recommend this treatment for children whose teeth are developing. This acts as a preventative measure for potential dental issues.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Extracting wisdom teeth is a surgical procedure to remove the third molars. Wisdom teeth are the last molars to grow on the adult set. Mostly, when these teeth erupt, there is not much space left on the jaw for them to fit properly. This results in impacted or crooked wisdom teeth. An impacted wisdom tooth will erupt partially or remain under the gums.

Impacted wisdom teeth can cause pain and shift adjacent teeth. Additionally, these teeth could cause overcrowding in the mouth, making it difficult for you to brush or floss your teeth. If your dentist spots a potential complication with your wisdom teeth, they could recommend extraction before they erupt.

Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are protective coatings that shield the chewing surface of your teeth from harmful bacteria. Dental sealants are placed as a preventive measure for dental complications. Different materials, including resin and glass ionomers, could be used to make dental sealants. Children between six and fourteen years old are good candidates for dental sealants.

The process of applying dental sealants takes the following steps:

  • Thorough teeth cleaning. The dentist will clean the teeth to remove tartar and plaque before placing the sealants. This ensures no food particles or bacteria are left on the tooth surface.
  • Drying of the tooth. After tooth cleaning, the dentist will apply cotton gauze to keep the surface dry.
  • Placement of an etching solution on the surface. Your dentist will place an acid etching surface to roughen the tooth surface before properly bonding the sealant.
  • Rinsing your teeth.
  • Placement of the sealant onto the tooth surface.
  • Curing of the sealant. The dentist will shine the curing light on the tooth to harden the sealant material.

The dental sealant will shield your tooth enamel from food particles, plaque, and bacteria. This reduces the risk of dental complications like gum disease and tooth decay. Even after applying a sealant, you must maintain proper hygiene by regularly brushing and flossing your teeth.

Emergency Dentistry

A dental emergency is an incident that requires you to seek immediate dental care. Most dental emergencies are the result of an injury or severe dental complications. The following are signs that you must book an immediate appointment with a Redondo Beach dentist:

Severe Toothache

Pain can be an indication of various dental complications. Although you can manage a toothache with over-the-counter pain medications, pain accompanied by reddening and swelling of the gums may need immediate attention from a dentist. Some of the common causes of severe toothache include:

  • A damaged dental restoration.
  • Gum diseases.
  • Abscessed tooth.
  • Cracked tooth.

When you seek emergency dental care for your toothache, the dentist will assess the root cause of the pain and recommend a treatment. Additionally, your dentist will advise you on the proper oral health practices to prevent a recurrence of the issue.

Broken or Chipped Tooth

A broken or chipped tooth will not only distort your smile but can also cause severe pain. Your tooth may crack due to untreated cavities and decay or when you bite on hard foods. If you have suffered an accidental tooth breakage, you could rinse your mouth and add a cold compress while seeking emergency care. This helps increase the chances of saving your tooth. After emergency care, the dentist may advise against biting hard foods and give you a mouth guard to protect your teeth when engaging in contact sports.

Lost Crown or Filling

A crown or filling is a dental restoration used on a previously damaged tooth. These restorations ensure that your teeth perform their normal functions. When you lose a filling or a crown, your inner tooth will be exposed to outside conditions. This could result in serious pain and other dental complications. Therefore, you will need emergency care to restore the filling or crown.

Knocked out Tooth

A knocked-out tooth is a dental emergency that needs to be addressed promptly. If you suffer a knocked tooth in an accident or contact sports, you should place the tooth in mild and rush to the dental office. This prevents the tooth from drying up. Your dentist may be able to reposition the tooth and save you from the complications of tooth loss.

Dental Abscess

Infection in the space between the teeth and gums is a serious dental problem. If left untreated, the infection could spread to surrounding teeth, gums, and tissues. Bacteria from this infection can also travel into your bloodstream and cause severe health issues. You may have an abscess if you notice a swollen spot or a painful pimple on your gums. A competent dentist will assess the extent of the abscess and offer the right treatment to avoid further complications.

Excessive Bleeding after Tooth Extraction

For all invasive dental procedures, you could experience slight bleeding. Your dentist will offer gauze for you to bite on to control the bleeding. If bleeding does not stop within several hours of the procedure, you must book an immediate appointment. Excessive bleeding may be an indication of a more serious complication. Therefore, immediate care is needed.

Tips for Finding the Right Redondo Beach Dentist

Your dentist is your partner in oral health. Therefore, finding the right dentist to handle your dental health needs is critical. The following are tips that will help you choose the right dentist:

  • Find referrals. When you seek dental care services, you can have a list of potential dentists. You could then ask family and friends for recommendations. Most people will recommend dentists offering them excellent services with the desired outcomes.
  • Research the dentist’s credentials. Certification is one of the critical elements you must consider when choosing a dentist. When your dentist has the necessary training, skills, and experience, you can easily entrust your oral health to them.
  • Experience. Experience is key when you face an oral health complication. Some dental procedures are complicated, and their outcome could impact your overall health. Therefore, you want these procedures performed by a dentist with extensive experience. You can inquire about the number of procedures that the dentist has performed and the success rate.
  • Consider insurance coverage. Dental procedures can be quite expensive. If you want to cover the cost of these treatments through insurance, consult a dentist who accepts insurance payments. Additionally, you must consult with your insurance company to determine whether they cover the procedure you want.
  • Location and hours of operation. Convenience is essential when choosing a dentist. Finding a dentist near your home or workplace makes booking and going for appointments easier.

Find a Competent Dentist Near Me

Your smile is a significant part of your first impression. A great smile is not only healthy, but it also gives you the confidence and comfort you need to interact with other people. Maintaining and restoring a good smile involves caring for your teeth and promptly handling all dental complications.

A significant part of following the right dental care routine is regularly consulting with a dentist, who can identify potential dental issues and recommend treatment. Additionally, your dentist can offer additional tips for your dental care, depending on your circumstances. If you have had a restorative procedure, you will receive aftercare guidelines to ensure effectiveness.

The outcome of a dental procedure can impact your outlook and overall health. Therefore, consulting with an experienced dentist is critical. We are committed to ensuring you receive the best possible dental care at Washington Dental. We serve clients seeking top-notch preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dental procedures in Redondo Beach, CA. Call us today at 310-326-5183 to discuss your dental health needs.