Dental Cleanings & Exams in New Orleans

If you want healthier teeth, you need to start by upping the quality of your general dentistry treatment and habits. Healthy, problem-free smiles begin with simple, consistent, and effective oral hygiene habits. 

General dentistry—which is an area of dentistry that encompasses all fundamental aspects of oral health such as brushing your teeth and attending your routine dental cleanings and exams—is the ultimate cornerstone of excellent dental health. 

At Downtown Dental, our tried-and-true general dentistry services are at the heart of everything we do. Our New Orleans general dentist, Dr. Richard Rathke, looks forward to getting to know you and your family. We work hard to provide you with the gentle yet effective dental care you need to enjoy good oral health.

If it’s been a while since your last visit to the dentist, rest assured that we are not here to judge you. We just want to get you back on track for good oral health! To schedule a teeth cleaning and dental exam with us, please give us a call today at (504) 528-7800.

• A New Orleans General Dentist Who Cares About Your Oral Health
• Keeping Up On Your Oral Hygiene Within Your Home
• Prevention Means Healthy Smiles and Healthy Bodies
• You Can’t Have a Healthy Mouth Without Healthy Gums
• Call Downtown Dental in New Orleans to Make a Dental Appointment

A New Orleans General Dentist Who Cares About Your Oral Health

All dental treatments are important, but general dentistry services arguably matter more than any other type. Why? Because by maintaining your oral health and staying current on essential treatments recommended by your dentist and by the American Dental Association, you are less likely to develop expensive, painful, and inconvenient dental problems down the road. 

At Downtown Dental, we never underplay the impact that good general dental habits can have on a smile. Well-taken-care-of teeth are, statistically, healthier teeth. As your New Orleans dentist, we want to make quality dental care accessible and affordable to you and your family. Our in-house dental membership plan makes it easier for you to get the necessary care your mouth needs. 

At our one-doctor practice, Dr. Rathke will be the only dentist you see during your visits—which means he can more effectively monitor your smile over the years and provide feedback as your dental needs change. By genuinely getting to know each of our patients, we are better equipped to help you plan for your future. 

Keeping Up On Your Oral Hygiene Within Your Home

You achieve excellent dental health by balancing aggressive, consistent at-home hygiene habits with regular trips to your dentist’s office. We can provide quality treatments for general dentistry in New Orleans, but those treatments will only go so far if you don’t hold up your end of the bargain. 

People with beautiful, healthy smiles don’t skip flossing when they “don’t feel like it” or sip soda all day long—they sacrifice and prioritize their oral health because they value their teeth. 

With a little self-discipline and only a few minutes out of your day, you too can have a gorgeous smile! 

Our general dentist recommends following this advice to keep your oral hygiene on par with the experts’:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day, every day, for at least two minutes at a time
• Floss every 24 hours to break up plaque and grime that adhere to your teeth
• Stick to drinking water, and avoid sugary drinks in your diet
• Call your dentist when something doesn’t seem right, rather than waiting months until your next appointment or waiting until things get so bad that you’re in pain
• Avoid smoking and tobacco products at all costs

By following these simple steps, you can provide yourself with some of the excellent general dentistry care you need—all without ever leaving the house! 

Prevention Means Healthy Smiles and Healthy Bodies

When it comes to dentistry, prevention is critical, which is why routine cleanings and checkups are so important. Even if you are a diligent tooth brusher and flosser, bacteria and plaque build-up on your teeth in hard-to-reach-places between dental visits and only special dental tools can remove them.

If you see our NOLA general dentist every six months, we can note any changes in the health of your mouth, such as tooth decay or gum infection, in their earliest stages and catch them before they become huge problems. Getting your routine dental cleanings and exams is essential to ensuring your good oral health. 

Additionally, if you’re like most people, your dentist is the only healthcare professional whoever thoroughly looks in your mouth. This makes the oral cancer screenings that you only receive at your dental office even more crucial.

At Downtown Dental, we can provide most of the dental treatment you’ll ever need. The general dentistry services we have available include:

• Dental exams and cleanings 
• Root canals
• Tooth-colored cavity fillings 
• Gum and gum disease treatment
• Emergency dentistry 
• Wisdom tooth extraction
• Crowns for teeth
• Dentures
• Dental bridges
• Dental implants

When you enjoy good oral health but wish you could improve your smile, we can go over some of our cosmetic dentistry options, including teeth whitening and porcelain veneers. If there’s a dentistry treatment you need, the chances are that at Downtown Dental, we can provide it.

Contact our caring dental team at (504) 528-7800 to learn more!

You Can’t Have a Healthy Mouth Without Healthy Gums

Gum disease affects millions of people in this country, and unfortunately, many are not receiving treatment for the condition because they have no idea they have it.

Gum disease is frequently present with few or no symptoms in its early stages. Because of this, the only way to know for sure if your gums are healthy is to visit your general dentist in New Orleans for routine dental appointments. 

Regularly visiting your dentist dramatically reduces your risk of developing gum disease. Why? Gum disease typically begins with plaque that is not removed from the teeth, so it hardens and turns into tartar. There are bacteria in this tartar, which can infect the gums. Only professional dental instruments can remove tartar. Brushing and cleaning your teeth on your own is not enough to keep gum disease at bay, which is why periodontal treatment is such a crucial component of general dentistry. 

The earlier a dentist detects gum disease, the easier it is to treat. Gum disease, in its earliest stage, is called gingivitis. If people have any symptoms at this stage, they might notice bloody gums after they brush and floss. Their gums might also appear swollen.

If left untreated, gingivitis will get worse and turn into periodontitis. Periodontitis can result in tooth loss. Gum disease is the main reason for tooth loss among adults.

Simply put, you can’t have a healthy mouth or healthy teeth without healthy gums. Periodontal care is part of our routine dental treatment, so if you’re behind on your general dentistry appointments, contact us to schedule one today! 

Call Downtown Dental in New Orleans to Make a Dental Appointment

To maintain great oral health for life, you need to stay vigilant in your at-home dental hygiene habits and consistent in your visits to your New Orleans general dentist. 

If your oral health is struggling, it’s not too late to turn things around. Give our treatment team at Downtown Dental a call today to schedule your next teeth cleaning. You can reach us by dialing (504) 528-7800. We are open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.