PROPHYLAXIS: The dictionary definition of this is "action taken to prevent disease, especially by specified means or against a specified disease." If you visit our office and receive a prophylaxis, you have have received a cleaning for a healthy mouth. And as the word definition shows, six month prophylaxis cleanings are very important for preventing periodontal disease.
GINGIVITIS: Inflammation of the gums that is an early stage of periodontal disease characterized by red or swollen gums.
SCALING AND ROOT PLANING: Sometimes called a "deep cleaning or a perio cleaning." Scaling and root planing is a cleaning procedure in which a patient will receive a deep cleaning of the teeth with the goal of slowing the progression of periodontal disease and gingivitis.
BITEWINGS: It may sound like a fancy kite or a something a kid would use to decorate a bike, but bitewings in a dental office are the x-rays that capture images of multiple teeth.
At Creedmoor Family Dentistry, we love to educate our patients, so feel free to ask about any terms you have an interest in understanding or knowing more about.