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If is a very busy time of year, and we all have to prioritize sometimes. However, don’t let the hustle and bustle of the holidays make you lose sight of your preventive dental care. You should still be going to the dentist every six months for a checkup and cleaning, no matter how hectic your life gets. Your Riverside, CA dentists at Riverside Dental Group would like to reiterate the importance of dental cleanings.

Put a Halo on your Hygienist

Your average dental office would not run nearly as smoothly without the presence of dental hygienists. These unsung heroes of the dental world are integral in providing patients with comprehensive preventive dental care. If you think about your biannual checkups, your hygienist is the one you’ll most likely spend the majority of your time with. From preparing the examination room to taking x-rays to charting your dental health history, hygienists have a wide-range of duties. Nothing is quite as important, however, as their efforts to safely and thoroughly clean plaque and tartar off of your teeth and at your gumline. If you are cavity and gum disease free, you probably have a dental hygienist to thank.

Root Planing and Scaling

If you do have gum disease (which is rather common) it’s usually a result of poor dental hygiene and inadequate preventive dental care. When gum disease becomes severe enough, you are likely to develop periodontal pockets. Because of the infection of gum disease, spaces between gum tissue and jawbone open up. This is the perfect breeding ground for festering bacteria. Root planing utilizes antibiotic fibers which are inserted into the periodontal pockets to clean bacteria out and create an inhospitable environment for further infection. Scaling involves a deep cleaning of the tartar and plaque that can collect deep below the gumline. These procedures are extremely important when gum disease has progressed because periodontitis (severe gum disease) is the leading cause of adult tooth loss in America.

Visit your Riverside Dentists

Are you due for a dental checkup and cleaning? At Riverside Dental Group, we can help fulfill all of your comprehensive dental needs. To contact our 92506 dentist office call (951) 369-1001. We welcome patients from Riverside and surrounding areas.