Compassionate Dental Care For the Entire Family
At Spaulding Dentistry, our Decatur dental team strives to ensure your entire family gets the best dental care possible. We know how important a beautiful smile and pristine oral health are, which is why we offer personalized family dentistry services to ensure your oral care needs are met. We’re proud to help every member of your family, starting at age 3, achieve a lifetime of successful oral health.
What Is Family Dentistry?
Family dentistry focuses on addressing oral health concerns for patients of any age. Our family-oriented services allow us to prevent, diagnose, and treat various general dental conditions while educating each patient on how to protect their lasting oral health. With the help of family dental services, we can address issues like tooth decay and gum disease to keep your smile strong and healthy for years.
Our Family Dentistry Services
Regular Cleanings & Examinations
At Spaulding Dentistry, we encourage each patient to schedule routine cleanings and examinations once every six months. These visits allow our skilled dental hygienists to perform a thorough tooth cleaning and examination of the teeth, gums, and cheeks for any underlying issues.
Professional teeth cleanings are one of the most effective ways to get rid of pesky build-ups of plaque. Plaque is an opaque film that hardens into tartar, a leading cause of gum disease and tooth decay. Our Decatur dental team uses specialized tools to clean your teeth, reaching areas you can easily miss at home. For many patients, routine cleanings are enough to reverse the effects of tooth decay and gum disease.
Fluoride Treatments
During your routine visits, our dentists may recommend a fluoride treatment. Fluoride treatments are used to help strengthen and protect your teeth from decay as they re-mineralize tooth enamel and reduce sensitivity. This treatment is commonly used for children but can be beneficial to adults as well.
Our fluoride treatments use a powerful gel with a higher concentration of fluoride than toothpaste and water, giving your teeth an added layer of protection against decay.
Oral Cancer Screenings
Once a year, Dr. Spaulding will conduct an oral cancer screening. This screening is completed during your routine visit and typically takes less than five minutes. An oral cancer screening is an examination of the head, mouth, and neck to check for any potential signs of oral pathologies. Catching oral cancer early is the best way to ensure a successful treatment.
We also highly recommend conducting your oral cancer screenings at home. Some common signs to look out for include:
- Sores that fail to heal or bleed continuously
- Reddish or whitish-colored patches in the mouth
- Chronic sore throat or hoarseness
- Abnormal lumps or thickening of the skin lining inside the mouth
- Difficulty chewing and/or swallowing
Periodontal Treatment
Periodontal (gum) disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. That’s why Dr. Spaulding offers periodontal treatment to ensure your gums and oral health stay in pristine condition. During your routine visit, one of our dental professionals will examine your gums for any sign of periodontal disease.
The Spaulding Dentistry team can spot even the most subtle signs and symptoms of unhealthy gums. If you notice any of the following symptoms, you may be suffering from gum disease:
- Loose or shifting teeth
- Swollen, tender, and bleeding gums
- Widening gaps between teeth
- Receding gums or teeth that appear lengthened
- Persistent bad breath
A Lifetime of Healthy Smiles at Spaulding Dentistry
Maintaining a healthy smile requires effort and dedication. Let us be your partner in this endeavor and bring your family to our state-of-the-art dental practice. Our experienced and friendly staff will provide personalized care and attention to detail, catering to the unique needs of each member of your family. Schedule your family’s appointment today by filling out this convenient contact form or by calling us at (404) 634-5738 and give them the gift of a lifetime of radiant, healthy smiles.
There are many benefits of family dentistry. Having one dentist for the entire family means that every member’s dental records will remain in one place, rather than spread across multiple offices. A family dentist will also be able to track the medical history of your family over time and speak with you about any hereditary issues they may notice.
To become a general dentist, you must get a bachelor’s degree and four years of dental school. A pediatric dentist undergoes an additional two years of training specializing in children’s behavior and special dental needs.
A family dentist is trained to treat both adults and children. They can offer your family more treatment options, decreasing the need for referrals.
Dental X-Rays help Dr. Spaulding find signs of dental damage and disease that wouldn’t be found during a regular exam. Thanks to advancements in technology, today’s dental X-Rays require less radiation than machines of the past. We will never give your family more dental X-Rays than necessary.
Generally speaking, adults and children in the family should all visit the dentist twice a year for routine cleanings and exams. Dr. Spaulding will let you know if someone in the family has dental health needs that may require a more frequent visit.