Services
Dental Hygiene Services
At Dental Hygiene Haven, you will receive honest information about the health of your teeth and gums in a caring environment.
Appointments include:
Oral Cancer Screening – done manually and visually. Oral Cancer is the only cancer that has not seen a big improvement in survival rates over the last 50 years. This screening is done every appointment.
It is during this screening that I also assess patterns of your tongue and other mouth areas that indicate vitamin deficiencies and hormonal imbalances, such as thyroid or adrenal imbalances. (I do not diagnose nor treat any disease.) Deficiencies and many imbalances can be helped with customized nutrition plans and dietary supplements. My Wellness Program may be of interest to you – see more information below.
Gum Disease Exam – very important for determining the presence and severity of gum disease. For a 5-minute video demonstration of this exam, click on the “Gum Disease Exam Demo – What’s a 4?” article in the left-hand column. **Please note: the phone number at the end of the video is no longer a valid phone number. I’ll fix that when I update the video. Please call (970) 481-8752.
Cavity/Filling Evaluation- surely you know by now that I am not a dentist and do not diagnose dental disease. As I go around each tooth, I will show you holes in your teeth, cracked or broken fillings, or other problems I see. Fort Collins has many skilled dentists. I strive to understand your personal philosophy of care so I can recommend a dentist to you who matches your philosophy.
X-rays (when necessary) – I utilize digital X-ray technology, which means you are exposed to 80-90% less radiation than a paper X-ray film. Also, digital X-rays can be emailed to your dentist of choice for dental treatment.
The standard of care, as established by the American Dental Association, is to have a Full-Mouth series of X-rays (18 films) every 5 years, and 4 Bitewing X-rays once/year in between those 5-year intervals. The biggest value X-rays are to you – in your work with me – is to monitor your bone levels. Bone loss will lead to loss of teeth.
Teeth Cleaning – from simple to complicated. This, of course, is where we spend the bulk of our time together during an appointment. After all, this is what you came for! Many clients sleep while I clean their teeth, others plug in their iPods and enjoy music, and still others like to chat. (I can usually understand what you are saying!)
Some people’s teeth need a “basic spiff-up” and they’re on their way. Other people’s teeth require multiple cleaning appointments to get the job done. Some people’s gums are very strong, and others’ require anesthetic to get through it. Yes, I do give those injections to numb you up. Most people don’t like getting shots. I don’t much like giving them, so we each take a deep breath and get it over with. I am frequently told that I do them very well and they didn’t even feel the needle go in.
One of the things I find very rewarding in my work is figuring out difficult cases. For example – some people have VERY sensitive teeth and they can’t stand to have their teeth touched by metal instruments. Others have trouble tolerating anesthetic when they have to be numbed to have their teeth cleaned. A client once told me that I’m like a “dog with a bone” when presented with a challenge – I keep coming up with new ideas to try until we find something that works. I say “we” because you and I work together on these mysteries of the body. Sometimes it’s the client who figures out a solution. Sometimes it’s like a puzzle and we each have a piece, so the solution becomes clear as we work together.
Having your teeth cleaned regularly is very important. Plaque and tartar do not sit in the mouth rent-free. The body pays a price. In a nutshell, having your teeth cleaned “lightens your load.” When we think of the body wholistically, we think of 2 things: Capacity and Assault. Many studies have connected oral bacteria with other conditions such as Heart Disease, Diabetes, Stroke – even Rheumatoid Arthritis and Cancer. As the bacterial Assault is lessened, the body’s Capacity for healing and repair is strengthened. In fact, if you are on any medications for the conditions listed in this paragraph, especially Heart Disease, both the American Dental Association and the American Heart Association recommend that you have your teeth cleaned at least 3 times/year. This includes people who take cholesterol-lowering medication. The reason for this recommendation is: people who are medicated for high cholesterol or high blood pressure are in a higher-risk category for a cardiac event. There is a well-documented connection between oral bacteria and Heart Disease. So, people who are in a higher-risk category for a cardiac event would benefit from reducing the amount of oral bacteria they harbor.
Customized Oral Hygiene Instruction (Home Care). All the work we do together in the office is wonderful and valuable. But, if you don’t maintain it at home, the benefits won’t last long. Different tools and tricks work for different people. I help you figure out a plan that will work for your lifestyle — WITHOUT THE SHAME. By the way, if you hate to floss, you might be interested in my other website: http://www.NeverFlossAgain.com. I am a wonderful Dental Hygienist and not a wonder website designer, so please feel free to call me directly with questions about the GumGadgets Kits: (970) 481-8752.
Also Available:
- Bacterial Testing (Salivary Lab Test)
- Wellness Program (featuring Standard Process supplements). I study Nutrition and Whole-Body Health with practitioners of other disciplines such as Chiropractors and Naturopathic Doctors on an ongoing basis. The insights and knowledge I gain from them is passed on to you. They help me recognize the mouth-body connections based on what is visually observed.
- Dental Consultations
- Dental Tourism Consultations
Then I await your call or email!
As one client put it:
You thoroughly cleaned my teeth while thoroughly educating me about my teeth and my overall health!