Improve your smile today – call to schedule a consultation!

Dental Cleanings in Encinitas, CA

Hygiene Services Encinitas CA Dental hygiene is an important part of your oral health foundation. Combined with exceptional home care and regular dental exams, you can maintain a happy, healthy smile for a lifetime. When you put in the time and care necessary to keep your teeth healthy and clean, you can avoid many common dental conditions.

You may think of your dental hygiene appointment as something that is simple and "one size fits all," but we actually tailor your treatment to meet your specific health needs.

Periodontal Evaluation

At your scheduled hygiene appointment, we will evaluate the health of your teeth and gums. In addition to your home care, numerous factors can cause a change in your oral health. From medications to hormonal changes, not everything is within your control, but we can work together to improve and maintain healthy teeth and gums.

Once we check for periodontal pocketing and gum disease and perform a full oral cancer screening, we will recommend a professional dental cleaning to meet your needs.

Professional Dental Cleanings

For many younger patients and patients with no gum disease in the past, a professional dental cleaning may be all you need to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

No matter how much you brush and floss, you cannot reach all of the areas we can reach with our specialized training and precision dental instruments. We will thoroughly remove the plaque and bacteria from your teeth, check for any dental conditions, and polish your teeth to a shine.

Getting Back on Track

We know that life happens and many people stay away from the dentist for a variety of reasons. That is why we are here to help you get back on track. With a more extensive cleaning, we can remove any heavy calculus deposits and recommend gum treatments that will eliminate any early signs of gum disease and any possible infections. All of our cleanings are extremely gentle. Our hygienists will always make your comfort a priority.

Typically, these appointments take a bit longer and may require more than one visit to fully restore your periodontal health.

Extensive Periodontal Treatment

When patients come to us with severe gum disease and infection, we do not pass judgment or make you feel guilty. We remain solution-focused, keeping your health our main priority.

Periodontal treatment involves cleaning the plaque, tartar, and bacteria from above and below your gumline. This promotes healing of your healthy tissue and allows periodontal pockets to shrink. We may place a special medication in severely infected areas to promote healing and prevent future infections.

We know that the idea of treating your gum disease can feel overwhelming, but because recent research has linked gum disease to other systemic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and respiratory illnesses, gum disease could put your life at risk.

Are You Ready to Get Started?

Give our Encinitas dental office a call. Ryan Kay, DMD, MS and our entire team look forward to welcoming you and providing you with gentle, high-quality professional dental cleanings.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if I have gum disease?

According to the CDC, half of Americans have gum disease despite it being one of the most preventable conditions. While certain medications, hormones, genetics, and circumstances can cause gum disease, the most common cause originates with poor home care, too few professional dental cleanings, or lifestyle choices such as drug or tobacco use.

Your body will give you signs even with the earliest form of gum disease, called gingivitis. When we catch gum disease at this early stage, it is often reversible. More serious gum disease, called periodontitis, requires specialized treatment to help you get back on track. No matter where you are, we can help to improve your health.

Some of the most common signs of gum disease include:

Fortunately, Ryan Kay DMD offers gentle, effective solutions to treat your gum disease so that you can protect your overall health. Did you know that researchers linked gum disease to other serious conditions such as heart disease, strokes, and diabetes? Give us a call so that we can work with you to restore your periodontal health and protect the beauty of your smile.

How often should I have a dental cleaning and check up?

How often you have an exam and teeth cleaning depends largely upon your dental health. While many adults and children can maintain their dental health with visits twice a year, certain conditions may require more frequent visits to maintain optimum wellness.

If you have a large amount of dentistry or if you have a tendency to build plaque and tartar quickly, you may achieve better overall results with cleanings every three to four months. Sometimes patients even prefer to come in for an extra cleaning because they enjoy that fresh smooth feeling of clean teeth.

Patients with a history of periodontal disease are more susceptible to a reoccurrence. Dr. Kay or one of our hygienists might recommend a more frequent recall to keep your periodontal disease under control. Keeping frequent professional cleaning visits allows us to monitor your condition, note any changes, and also remove the plaque and bacteria on your teeth and gums.

For some of our senior patients, frequent dental cleanings can help prevent tooth loss. For many patients, as they age, they lose dexterity and have a harder time cleaning their own teeth effectively. We can recommend products and techniques and also help keep your teeth clean and healthy so you can continue to eat the foods you love.

Coming to the dentist for more frequent professional cleanings may sound like a hassle, but it is a small investment in time and money to protect your health.

What does a toothache mean?

If you have ever had a toothache, you know that it can really disrupt your day and make it difficult to concentrate on anything else. You might have to cancel events, be unable to sleep, and even miss work. Toothaches can often worsen over time.

When you have a toothache, it is your body’s way of alerting you to a problem. Because the nerves in your teeth are protected under a strong layer of enamel and a layer of dentin, by the time you have tooth pain, it could mean a serious condition.

At Ryan Kay DMD, we treat dental emergencies fast – often on the same day you call. By addressing your condition quickly, we can often save your tooth and protect your smile.

Common causes of toothaches include:

If you experience an emergency dentist in Encinitas, CA, contact our dental office at the first sign of a problem. Dr. Ryan Kay will evaluate your condition and provide you with treatment options to restore your comfort and your smile.

We invite new and existing patients to contact us when they experience a dental emergency in Encinitas, CA.

How bad is sugar for my oral health?

If you are looking for a dentist in Encinitas, CA and have questions about the best way to protect your oral health, we can help!

Since childhood, we have been told that sugar is the worst thing for your teeth. It is true that sugar can feed bacteria that cause decay. Recent research shows that there is something more problematic for your teeth than sugar alone. Sugar mixed with an acidic substance, such as soda or juice, can cause even more decay.

Decay is caused when bacteria create an acidic environment in your mouth that softens your enamel. Bacteria feed on sugary and starchy substances. With the added acid from soda and juice, you may suffer from decay much more quickly.

Encinitas dentist, Dr. Ryan Kay, helps to protect against decay by creating a preventive treatment plan designed for your lifestyle.

This may include the following treatments to protect your teeth:

For more information or to learn more about preventive dentistry, contact us to schedule your next dental appointment. We encourage curious patients and look forward to helping you maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.

Meet Our Doctor:

Dr. Ryan Kay DMD, MS, FICOI
Dentist

Growing up around dentistry, I knew at an early age that I wanted to be a dentist. After graduating from the University of San Diego, I went on to study at Western University of Health Sciences where I earned both my Masters in Medical Science and Doctorate of Dental Medicine. I think you’ll find me not only to be a kind and compassionate person, you’ll always find me to have a friendly smile and gentle touch.

I was awarded a fellowship by the International Congress of Oral Implantologists due to numerous ...