What We Look for During Dental Exams | Issaquah Dentist

Most people take their trip to the dentist for granted. They go in with the hope that they will hear they have no cavities, a new toothbrush and an appointment to return in 6 months. They don’t really pay attention to what we are doing, but it’s not a bad thing to learn about if you want to improve your oral health.

While most people think that the most important work we do is during the actual exam, the work we do before that is just as important. We start out by looking at the history we have for our patients, including any issues that could signal potential problems with oral health. We also want to look at the x-rays and notes from previous exams to see if there are any changes that signal a potential issue.

During the exam we are looking for more than changes. We look for signs of any bacterial growth that could lead to plaque buildup, the positioning of your teeth and gums, and gaps and pockets that may cause a problem. We look for any discoloration of the teeth or spots on the teeth that are signs of tooth decay. We are looking for the same signs that a patient can look for at home that the health of their teeth and gums are at risk.

We also rely on x-rays to look at the structure of the teeth and gums to spot problems before they become a bigger issue. Our goal is to make sure we can treat any issues as easily as possible to prevent problems before they occur. During an office visit, we will do this and then give you the treatments and tools needed for optimal oral health.

For more information about dental examinations, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

Come and See Us When You Need an Oral Health Issue Diagnosed | Issaquah Dentist

When we speak of oral health, we are not simply referring to your teeth. We are also talking about your gums, lips, inside of your mouth (roof and sides) and your uvula (the little punching bag in the back of your throat). Many people do not realize that we, your dentists, are the first line of defense against many health problems you could have.

Dentists are trained to spot many conditions and diseases because many have symptoms that start in the mouth. Several cancers, for example, will show symptoms in your mouth first. There are childhood diseases that show up as spots inside the cheeks or turn your throat strawberry red, like strep throat.

Oddly, though dentists are trained to look for some of the things doctors are trained to look for, doctors are not trained to look for dental problems. Some diseases manifest themselves with a smell, for example, diabetes can smell fruity and kidney problems can leave you with sweet breath. Oral thrush can be the first symptom of HIV that is noticed. If you are anemic you don’t have enough iron, so your gums, lips, and tongue may be pale.

Diabetes shows up in the mouth with gums that are swollen or sore. If you are diabetic and untreated, you may notice that you get cold sores, have excessive dry mouth or you may develop fungal yeast infections or oral thrush. We can spot the signs and will discuss them with you.

If you have HIV, it may show up in your mouth first. You may get recurrent cold sores. You experience dry mouth and you could develop warts from the human papillomavirus. Celiac disease is yet another common illness that dentists find. It could manifest itself as a dry, burning feeling on your tongue and it can also show up as problems with the enamel on your teeth.

Dentists can also see cancer in your mouth. Most particularly we can see head, neck, mouth, and throat cancers. They could show up as swollen glands or sores near the cheeks. We also look for any abnormal red or white spots in your oral cavity as these too, could be signs of cancer.

For more information about dental examinations, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

Can You Eat Regular Foods Following Getting Sealants? | Issaquah Dentist

Dental sealants help to protect your teeth from cavities. They do this by creating a barrier between the enamel and plaque, which is full of bacteria.

The molars have small grooves within the surface that can trap plaque and food particle, and since your toothbrush can’t remove them completely, they can get stuck there for a long time. Dental sealants can help, and after a relatively simple procedure, you’ll be able to start eating and drinking right away.

What to expect after dental sealants

After we’ve finished sealing your teeth, you can eat, drink, play, or work. There won’t be any restrictions. It may feel strange to bite into something at first due to the new sealant, but this sensation should go away in a few days. Soon, you won’t even know that you have the sealant. Regular dental appointments are still essential after your teeth are sealed.

Some patients believe that once they have sealants that their teeth are virtually immune to decay and other issues. That simply isn’t the case. You still need to brush and floss regularly, and regular appointments in our office allow us to check how your sealant is doing. Sealants don’t last forever, but they can effectively seal teeth for 10 years, and they can be replaced easily if they are damaged or chipped.

Foods to avoid

While they aren’t specific to dental sealants, there are some foods that you should avoid in order to maintain good oral health. These are foods that are especially sticky, hard, and chewy, including caramel, taffy, jawbreakers, hard candy, chewing gum, and gummy bears.

Are you interested in dental sealants for either yourself or your child? If so, contact our office today to learn more about your options. We will discuss the pros and cons of dental sealants to help you decide if they are right for you.

For more information about dental sealants, call Dr. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Frank S. Sciabica proudly serves patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

Top Reasons Intraoral Cameras Improve Your Oral Health | Issaquah Dentist

Have you ever wondered why we sometimes stick a thermometer sized tube inside your mouth, and then turn away to stare at a computer monitor while fiddling with it, instead of watching you?

It isn’t out of rudeness or lack of compassion, but rather that technology has advanced to the point that our own eyes are not always the best for probing your mouth. For those deep, precise examinations of every nook and cranny inside of your mouth, we break out the intraoral camera.

With Great Power Comes Great Resolution

One of the major reasons why we use these cameras is because they are adroit at maneuvering inside of your mouth and revealing what they see, far better than our own fingers, tiny mirror, and eyeballs. With an intraoral camera, we can check for a suspected fracture and see exactly how deep it runs down the tooth, and immediately begin preparing our treatment plan.

Rather than press around uncomfortably on diseased or injured gums, we can just point the camera in the direction and see exactly where the disease is, what stage it is at, and anything that may not have been apparent during the routine exam. This saves you time, comfort and allows us to focus our attention on providing care, when before we would still have to spend more time diagnosing the root of the issue.

Lastly, it helps provide comprehensive care, by allowing us to see places we might normally not check on first pass, detect issues too small to be easily seen with the naked eye, and provide an easier way to document and keep records of discoveries during your care, for this and future visits..

All in all, intraoral cameras are a marvelous piece of technology that has revolutionized and streamlined oral care, allowing us to see patients and treat them more efficiently during every visit. If you are interested in knowing more about the device or would like to confirm it will be in use during your next visit, give us a call and speak to us about the tools we use to provide the best possible care for you and your mouth!

For more information about intraoral cameras, call Dr. Frank S. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Sciabica proudly serve patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.

What We Look for Specifically During Dental Exams | Issaquah Dentist

Most people take their trip to the dentist for granted. They go in with the hope that they will hear they have no cavities and they will walk away with a new toothbrush and an appointment to return in 6 months.

They do not really pay attention to what we are doing during the exam and the rest of their appointment. It is not a bad thing to learn about if you want to improve your oral health.

Before the Exam

While most people think that the most important work we do is during the actual exam, the work we do before that is just as important. We start out by looking at the history we have for our patients. This includes looking for any issues that could signal potential problems with oral health. We look at the risk factors to know what to pay attention to during the exam.

We also want to look at the x-rays and notes from previous exams. We are going to look to see if there are any changes that signal a potential issue.

During the Exam

During the exam we are looking for more than changes. We look for signs of any bacterial growth that could lead to a build-up of plaque. We also look at the positioning of the teeth and gums. We search for gaps and pockets that may form and can cause a problem.

We look for any discoloration of the teeth or spots on the teeth =that are a sign of tooth decay. We are looking for the same signs that a patient can look for at home that the health of their teeth and gums are at risk.

We also rely on x-rays to look at the structure of the teeth and gums. We are trying to spot problems before they become a bigger issue. Our goal is to make sure we can treat any issues as easily as possible.

The goal of our offices is to prevent problems before they occur. During an office visit, we will do this and then give you the treatments and tools needed for optimal oral health.

Contact our office today to schedule your next visit.

For more information about dental exams, call Dr. Frank S. Sciabica in Issaquah, WA at 425-392-3900 or visit www.issaquahdentists.com.

Dr. Sciabica proudly serve patients from Issaquah and all surrounding areas.