Oral cancer can show up in many forms as:

• Mouth cancer
• Tonsil cancer
• Throat cancer

Despite a common misconception that oral cancers are rarely diagnosed, your general dentist in Charlotte will tell you differently. The American Cancer Society says that at least 100 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed every day right here in the U.S. When you come to our office for a comprehensive exam and dental hygiene, be sure we’re always on the lookout for any signs of oral cancer. We conduct a thorough visual and manual screening of the inside of your mouth. We look at your gums, cheeks, tonsils, tongue — pretty much every square in your mouth. One of the most important things to remember about oral cancer that if it’s detected at a very early stage, chances of remission and survival are very good. This just another good reason to see your general dentist in Charlotte for regular visits so we can monitor your oral health closely.

During your cleaning, your dental hygienist will use a Sonic Scaler. This powerful, yet gentle device uses state-of-the-art ultrasonic wave technology to clean teeth, instead of all those metal tools from the past. Do you know why your teeth feel so amazing after a cleaning with us? Because when you’ve completed your dental hygiene cleaning, we’ve already:

• Removed all of the plaque from in and around all of your teeth. This is the sticky substance that likes to sit on teeth causing decay, bad breath, and issues with your gums.
• Removed calculus and tartar. This is simply plaque that’s hardened over time.
• Polished your teeth to ensure they’re stain-free and smooth.

Dental hygiene is an extremely important part of keeping your teeth and gums healthy enough to last a lifetime. It’s also one of the best ways to keep your smile free from bacteria-causing debris.

Fluoride is a naturally-occurring mineral that’s been found to help strengthen your smile. Did you know fluoride is commonly present in fortified toothpaste, oral rinses, some tap waters, soil, rocks, and plants? Don’t worry! You won’t have to put those things in your mouth when you’ve got your general dentist in Charlotte in charge of your smile. He’ll tell you that it’s not just for kids too. Adult smiles can also benefit big time from fluoride treatments. In our dental office, we use a specially-made varnish that’s brushed onto your teeth. Gone are the days of messy treatments that never really tasted like the strawberry flavor the dentists always said it would. It’s important in the treatment of oral health issues because fluoride is able to reach growing bones and teeth, both baby and adult. This can harden your tooth enamel before your teeth even erupt. It’s effective for adult teeth because it can harden your enamel too, no matter what age or stage of life. You’ll have added protection against sugars, bacteria, and cavities.

Sometimes our teeth require more complex treatment or multiple treatments to get them healthy again. Your general dentist in Charlotte wants you to be comfortable and pain-free every time you sit in the dental chair. To help make procedures run more smoothly, we’ll generally rely on topical and local anesthesia to numb the area so you’ll never have to worry about feeling pain. If you’re someone who just can’t bear the thought of sitting for long periods of time and having work done, talk to us about our oral sedation options. Oral sedation is commonly used in dentistry today to help nervous patients get the care they need and deserve. Oral sedation simply means you’ve been prescribed a pill that you take about an hour before you come to see us. You’ll be relaxed and feeling fine by the time you arrive. We never want a patient to struggle with pain or fear at the dentist. Talk to us about your anesthesia options, and we can help you determine what works best.

From dental hygiene and cleanings to complete smile makeovers, your general dentist in Charlotte knows the importance of staying up-to-date with the latest technology. All of this high-tech equipment is designed to deliver you dental care that’s way more comfortable and precise than ever before. Our advanced intraoral camera can take high-definition photos of your mouth, giving you and the dentist a true view of your oral health. We can finally see in all of those hard to reach places that the naked eye might miss. Your dentist also relies on a powerful, pain-free tool that uses electrically-generated heat energy to help fix ailing gums, frenectomies in children, and to minimize the potential for any bleeding. If you have questions about how any of the technology works at our office, never hesitate to ask. We’re happy to play show and tell to give you an idea of how amazing these dental technologies truly are.