Exams, Cleanings & Preventive Dentistry

Science shows a strong link between gum disease and inflammatory conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s. It’s clearer than ever that healthy smiles support good health.

And healthy smile starts with a preventive approach to dental care.

At Green City Dental, Dr. Rebecca Taylor evaluates 6 main things:

• Medical history, vital signs and overall health
• Oral cancer risk
• Periodontal health
• Caries (cavities) risk
• Occlusal (bite) disorders
• Airway issues

Advanced technologies such as CariVu for early caries detection, Velscope for oral cancer screening, and OralDNA for assessing periodontal health, allow Dr. Taylor to spot problems early – when they are most easily treatable in a minimally invasive way.

Microscopic Evaluation of Oral Bacteria

Even the cleanest mouth is teeming with billions of microbes, some of which support good oral-systemic health, others which are harmful. By looking at a sample of your oral flora through a phase contrast microscope, we can get quick and clear insight as to whether conditions are healthy overall or there are signs of emerging or progressing gum disease.

If bad bacteria outweigh the good, we can sharpen our understanding with advanced periodontal evaluation while also moving forward with treatment to control the disease process.

In this video, a holistic dentist in Colorado explains how phase contrast microscopy is used:

A “Big Picture” Approach to Oral & Systemic Health

If signs in the mouth that suggest health problems elsewhere in the body, Dr. Taylor may recommend seeing a naturopath for further evaluation. If she finds airway issues or problems with sleep apnea or other sleep disordered breathing, she may recommend a home sleep test (Nox Sleep Monitor).

Above all, Dr. Taylor will take the time to discuss her findings with you in detail, educating you on your oral health situation and options so you can make the best possible choices for maintaining or attaining optimal health.