Apex Dental is a general and family dental office in Northborough, Massachusetts. We treat children and adults and are currently accepting new patients. Our preventive care program is the foundation for our dental office. Each patient who visits our Northborough dental office will receive a comprehensive evaluation and personalized treatment plan.
Our trained dental hygienists perform dental cleanings in our Northborough, MA, dental office. You’ll also spend time one-on-one with the dentist to discuss your general dental health and any problems or concerns you have.
The Importance of Routine Dental Care
Our highly trained and experienced hygienists will perform your teeth cleanings (dental prophylaxis). This treatment is a vital part of your preventive care routine and the longevity of your natural smile.
Good at-home oral hygiene is important. However, our dental hygienists use specialized dental tools to reach tooth surfaces that you can miss when you brush and floss. Professional teeth cleaning will help prevent halitosis, gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss.
While cleaning your teeth, your hygienist will look for any signs of decay or damage. If problems do exist, we may recommend additional visits to maintain optimal dental health. Discovering and treating these issues in the early stages means treatment is more conservative. Keeping your smile clean and healthy benefits both your oral and overall health.
Preventing Gum Disease With Dental Exams
An estimated 75% of adults have some form of periodontal disease, or gum disease. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults 35 and older. A good oral hygiene program and routine professional care is the best way to reduce your risk of gum disease.
Dr. Gauthier and the team at Apex Dental focus on preventative dentistry. Preventative care includes the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease, bleeding gums, and tooth decay.
Most patients’ dental and periodontal health can be treated using non-surgical methods. If caught early, gingivitis can be treated with a thorough dental cleaning in a Northborough, MA dentist’s office.
How Cleanings Treat Gum Problems
If you have gum problems, a dental cleaning can help stop the damage and keep your mouth healthy. One of our dentists will use special tools to clean around your teeth and gums. They will carefully scrape away plaque and tartar that have built up in deep pockets around the gums where harmful bacteria like to grow.
Cleaning out these pockets early can help stop the bacteria from causing gum recession, bone loss, or even tooth loss. For some patients, a deep gum cleaning can keep their gums healthy. A scaling and root planing can help the gums heal.
In more advanced cases, some people may need extra treatments to help rebuild the gums and protect the teeth. Our office can also provide restorative care for decayed, broken, or missing teeth.
At-Home Maintenance
After your gum cleaning, it’s important to keep up good habits at home. We’ll show you how to brush and floss properly and may suggest using an antibacterial mouth rinse. This rinse helps reduce harmful bacteria and keeps your gums healthy. With regular care at home and in the dental office, you can keep your gums and teeth strong.
Age-Specific Dentistry
You can experience many different oral health problems over time. But what’s most common for children isn’t usually the same as what’s common for teens, adults, or seniors. Certain age groups are more susceptible to certain oral health problems.
Children
For younger children, tooth decay is the biggest problem they face. They tend to have diets that are higher in sugar and they aren’t as good at brushing their teeth. We offer education for both parents and children about the best way to care for little mouths.
We may recommend dental sealants, too. We paint a thin protective layer over the molars and teeth that are most susceptible to tooth decay. It offers an extra layer of protection against bacteria.
Teens and Adults
When you reach your teens or early twenties, your wisdom teeth develop. Most of us don’t have enough extra room in our jaw to fit an extra set of molars. If they erupt, your mouth gets cramped and your teeth bunch together.
Wisdom teeth can be impacted in the jawbone, too. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause pain and infection. We often recommend wisdom tooth extraction for the best results.
Seniors
As we age, the years and lifestyle habits take their toll on our mouths. Older adults are the most likely group to suffer from missing teeth. At our office, we offer a wide range of tooth replacement solutions to complete your smile again.
We recommend dental implants the most. They’re the most natural-looking and feeling tooth replacement option. You get back 100% of your bite function because it replaces the root in addition to the crown.
Preventative Care FAQs
Want to know more about preventative care? Read answers to common questions about our dental services here:
What’s the goal of preventative dental care?
Preventative care protects your teeth and gums from harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. In turn, this helps you avoid extensive dental procedures that can be costly and time-consuming. Things like tooth extraction can also prevent decay and disease from spreading to other teeth and areas of the mouth.
What do I do if my tooth gets knocked out?
If you’re in an accident and your primary tooth gets knocked out, try to locate it. If found, place it in a container with your saliva. In our office, we can try to place the tooth back in its socket if we receive your tooth within the hour.
If you can not locate your tooth, schedule an emergency visit so we can examine your mouth for damage. We can also restore your tooth if needed.
What should I do about my tooth pain?
Tooth pain can be a sign of many dental problems. It can also be a temporary issue from chewing too hard. Call our dentist if your tooth pain lasts more than a few days in a localized area. Avoid using Orajel or other tooth pain relief medication for long periods, as this only masks the issue and does not help heal the root cause.
Do I need fluoride?
Fluoride treatments can be very helpful if you are at a higher risk of getting cavities. This includes people who have had cavities before, those with dry mouth, or anyone who eats many sugary foods.
Children often benefit from fluoride treatments because their teeth are still developing. Adults can also benefit, especially if they are more likely to get cavities.
If you don’t get enough fluoride from your drinking water or toothpaste, your dentist might suggest treatments to help protect your teeth. Our dentist will evaluate your oral health and recommend fluoride treatments if he thinks you need extra protection against cavities.
Why does my mouth hurt after a dental cleaning?
Your mouth might hurt after a dental cleaning because the dentist or dental hygienist is cleaning off plaque and tartar that builds up on your teeth. Sometimes, this can make your gums feel sore if you have a lot of buildup. The cleaning tools can also make your teeth feel sensitive for a little while.
This discomfort usually goes away in a day or two. If your gums are more tender than usual, it could be a sign that they need extra care or that there is gum inflammation.
How do dental sealants work?
Dental sealants help protect your teeth from cavities. Our dentist can paint this thin, clear coating on the chewing surfaces of your back teeth. Sealants are safe and works for both kids and adults.
Once the sealant dries, it forms a protective shield over your teeth. This shield keeps out food and bacteria that can cause tooth decay. Sealants can last for several years before they wear down naturally.
How can I prevent my teeth from wearing down?
Tooth wear happens to everyone. Throughout the years we’re using our teeth multiple times a day, every day. If you’re noticing pain, or that certain teeth are wearing down a lot faster than others, it could be a sign of bite problems. You may be grinding your teeth or have a TMJ disorder.
We may recommend a night guard to prevent your teeth from wearing down rapidly. Excessive wear can cause tooth decay or teeth to crack under the pressure.
Do I really need preventative dental care?
People of all ages need preventative dental care to keep their smiles healthy. It doesn’t matter if you’re a baby or a senior, preventative dental care is for everyone.
Preventative dental care can stop problems like cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss before they start. If you skip preventative care, small problems can turn into bigger issues that are more painful and harder to fix.
Schedule a Dental Exam Today
Dr. Gauthier applies his artistic skill to every patient, bringing an element of cosmetic dentistry to each procedure. You can be sure that your smile will be as beautiful as it is healthy. Learn more about our general dentistry services or other solutions. Call (508) 506-1691 or schedule a dental appointment online.