Preventive Dentistry Services in Houston, TX
Keeping Your Teeth & Gums Safe
If you want your smile to last the rest of your life, you need to take the initiative to make sure oral health issues like cavities never happen in the first place. The best way to do this is to schedule a checkup with Dr. Gregory Palmer every six months or so. Once we’ve had a chance to examine your mouth, we can clean your teeth and create a treatment plan to stop potential problems in their tracks. If it’s been a while since your last checkup, contact our dental office today for preventive dentistry in Houston, TX!
Why Choose Palmer Dental Group of Houston for Preventive Dentistry?
- A Warm, Welcoming Environment for Patients of All Ages
- Up-to-Date, High Quality Equipment
- An Attentive Dentist That Gives You the Individualized Care You Deserve
Dental Checkups & Teeth Cleanings
During a routine checkup, Dr. Palmer will use a metal probe, small mirror, and intraoral camera to examine every nook and cranny of your mouth, including behind and between your teeth. He’ll be looking for softened tooth enamel, swollen gums, and other signs of tooth decay and gum disease. These twice-a-year checkups are also our chance to remove harmful plaque and tartar from your teeth; these thorough cleanings will make it much easier to prevent cavities.
Oral Cancer Screenings
Currently, 63% of oral cancers are found in late stages (stage III, IV), resulting in a 5-year survival rate of less than 50%. Finding these abnormalities in much earlier stages can increase the 5-year survival rate up to 80-90%. Dr. Palmer uses an oral cancer screening device, OralID®, in the efforts to discover oral cancers in their earliest stages. OralID® uses a proven, optically based technology called, "fluorescence technology." OralID® fluorescence technology uses a blue light (435–460 nm) that provides Dr. Palmer an aid in visualization of oral mucosal abnormalities, such as oral cancer and pre-cancer.
Fluoride Treatments
Every day, your tooth gains and loses the minerals that help make up the enamel. If too many minerals are lost, the tooth won’t be able to repair itself, and tooth decay will begin. Fluoride helps strengthen the enamel, making it resistant to demineralization. In some cases, it can even help reverse decay in its earliest stages. Most people get all the fluoride they need from the water they drink, but we can also apply fluoride directly to your teeth for some added protection. This treatment is especially important for children between the ages of 6 months and 16 years.