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Preventive Dentistry

Many people believe they don't need to see the dentist until a problem has developed. However, dental care is about preventing issues from occurring in the first place.

Dr. Amy Wenninghoff and our team want our patients to enjoy the comfort and confidence of a healthy, problem-free smile. Unfortunately, without routine exams and teeth cleanings, you are at increased risk for cavities, gum disease, and other oral health issues that you could have avoided with proper preventive care.

We generally recommend two preventive dental visits per year scheduled about six months apart; however, Dr. Amy will tailor your schedule for your unique dental needs. Some patients require more frequent appointments, while others will require fewer.

Why Do I Need Professional Teeth Cleanings?

You practice great oral hygiene at home, so you may feel like you don't need professional teeth cleanings twice a year. The fact is that even with the most conscientious at-home brushing and flossing habits, you can't reach all tooth surfaces between teeth and below the gums.

The dental plaque you don't remove with brushing and flossing hardens into a substance called tartar or calculus. Tartar clings persistently to teeth, and only a dentist or hygienist can remove it using specialized dental instruments.

How Often Do I Need Dental Checkups?

In addition to teeth cleanings, Dr. Amy also recommends dental exams twice a year to monitor your oral health. If she detects a potential issue, she can treat it promptly, so it doesn't worsen. As a result, you protect your oral health and keep your family's dental costs to a minimum.

Routine checkups are important for all ages. We need to monitor a child's rapid dental development and ensure their teeth stay healthy. Adults' oral health needs also change throughout their lives.

We can help you maintain healthy, well-functioning smiles and minimize the need for more invasive or costly treatment by staying current with your dental needs. With regular preventive dental care, we can help you maintain healthy teeth and gums for a lifetime.

Healthy Oral Habits at Home Are Essential

Routine exams and teeth cleanings with our Lincoln, NE, dentist are key components of good oral health, but what you do in between these visits is equally, if not more, important.

The basics of clean, healthy teeth and gums are simple: brush gently for two minutes twice a day (especially after meals) and floss daily. Some additional tips to help you maintain a healthy smile are:

Maintain a balanced, nutritious diet
Reduce the amount of sugar you eat
Do not smoke or use tobacco
Wear a sports mouthguard during contact sports
Avoid habits like nail biting or chewing on pens or ice

Why Does Good Oral Hygiene Matter?

Practicing good oral hygiene habits reduces your risk for cavities, gum disease, and other oral health conditions and contributes to your overall well-being. Your mouth is the entry point to the rest of your body, and bacteria in the mouth can quickly enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the rest of the body.

For this reason, periodontal disease is linked to numerous health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), and low birthweight babies.

Schedule Your Next Dental Checkup

At our office, we know life gets busy, and oral health care is probably the last thing you think about. If you haven't been coming in regularly and have developed some issues, we promise not to lecture you! We are a judgment-free dental office, and all that matters is that you are taking positive steps to protect your oral health.

Please call our Lincoln, NE, dental office at (402) 413-6686, and we'll help you schedule a convenient appointment for your next dental exam and teeth. We see patients from Lincoln, Hickman, Bennet, Palmyra, Syracuse, Roca, and all surrounding communities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are dental x-rays safe?

At Roots Dental, we use low-dose digital x-rays, a huge advancement in dental technology. They allow us to use a smaller dose of radiation that exposes patients to as much as 80 percent less than traditional film.

Of course, our expert dental team is experienced in taking x-rays and take every precaution to ensure that you and your family are safe.

How Dental X-Rays Benefit Your Oral Health

During a visual exam, dentists only see about a third of the tooth; even with magnification, decay often starts between the teeth, which we can only see with dental x-rays.

Digital dental x-rays also allow Dr. Amy to evaluate your gum health and see problems that arise in the bones around the teeth.

Since dental x-rays allow us to see decay in its earliest stages, we can treat it promptly before it becomes a more significant problem. When we treat dental problems early on, we minimize the need for invasive procedures, which helps you save time and money and spares you unnecessary discomfort.

Another benefit of modern dental x-rays is that we can share them with you, so you see what we see. Since the images are digital, Dr. Amy can enlarge, zoom in, and rotate them to get a clear view of the problem.

If she recommends a procedure, you will have all the information you need to make a confident decision about your treatment.

Call Us to Schedule Your Next Dental Exam

Rest assured, we only recommend x-rays when needed to monitor your oral health or diagnose a current problem. If you have questions about how we use x-rays or would like to schedule your next dental checkup and cleaning, please call our Lincoln, NE, dental office.

Why do I need teeth cleanings if I already brush and floss?

If you already brush at least twice a day for two minutes and floss once, congratulations! While your oral hygiene efforts go a long way toward eliminating harmful plaque buildup, they can’t do the whole job.

Plaque builds up on all surfaces of your teeth, and when it’s not removed from hard-to-reach spaces, it hardens into tartar or calculus. Tartar is filled with bacteria, and as it builds up underneath the gum line, it can cause inflammation that leads to gingivitis.

You can’t remove tartar with a toothbrush because it clings stubbornly to your teeth. Only a dentist or hygienist can remove tartar using their skill, experience, and specialized instruments.

5 Tips for Controlling Plaque and Tartar Buildup

Your dentist in Lincoln, NE, will also recommend steps you can take to minimize plaque and tartar buildup in the future, including:

When you brush, be sure to clean all surfaces, including along the gum line and between teeth.
Consider switching to an electric toothbrush that does a better job of removing plaque than manual models.
Rinse daily with an antiseptic mouthwash that helps kill cavity-causing bacteria.
If you smoke, consider quitting. Tobacco users have been found to develop more tartar than non-smokers.
Eat a healthy diet and limit your intake of foods high in sugar and carbohydrates.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask us—we are here to help you!

Schedule Your Next Teeth Cleaning with Us

At Roots Dental, we provide preventive dental services like exams and dental cleanings to help you avoid cavities and gum disease. Please call our Lincoln, NE, dental office to schedule your next appointment with us.

Meet Our Doctor:

Dr. Amy Wenninghoff

I am originally from Minot, North Dakota, and I met my husband, Garin—a Wahoo, NE, native—when completing my undergraduate studies at the University of North Dakota. I graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry in 2012, and we were married a week later. We then moved to Omaha, where I completed a one-year general practice residency at UNMC and the VA, focusing on dentistry for adult patients with special needs, comprehensive dental rehabilitation for our veterans, and care for patients with complex medical problems.

Next, we moved to Lincoln and ...

Preventive Dentistry Technology

Digital X-Rays

Having up-to-date dental x-rays for each patient is an essential part of monitoring their oral health needs. At Roots Dental, we use low-dose digital x-rays, which are a huge advancement in dental technology because they emit as much as 80 percent less radiation than film x-rays.

Digital dental x-rays allow our dentist to see tiny spots of decay and other issues and treat them before they become more significant problems. Treating dental problems early on minimizes the need for more invasive procedures, spares you unnecessary discomfort, and saves you time and money on dental costs.

Another benefit of modern dental x-rays is the ability to share the images with you, so you see what our dentist sees. With digital images, Dr. Amy can enlarge, zoom in, and rotate them to give you a clear view of the problem.

If she recommends a procedure, you will have all the information you need to make a confident decision about your treatment.

SEE OUR TECHNOLOGY

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