Preventive Dentistry – Jacksonville, FL

The Secret to a Smile That’s
Healthy for a Lifetime

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Preventive dentistry forms the foundation of excellent oral health, helping you avoid costly and complex dental problems before they start. Through regular checkups, professional cleanings, and personalized care plans, you can maintain a healthy, radiant smile while catching potential issues when they’re easiest and most affordable to treat.

We provide comprehensive preventive dental care with a personal touch. Our team combines advanced diagnostic technology with genuine concern for your comfort and long-term oral health. From routine cleanings to detailed oral health assessments, we help Jacksonville families maintain healthy smiles through every stage of life.

Why Choose Distinctive Dentistry by
Mullens & Nguyen for Preventive Dentistry?

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Serene Dental
Office

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Comprehensive
Appointments

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Genuine
Dental Team

Why Preventative Dentistry is The Foundation of Lifelong Oral Health

Preventive dentistry encompasses all the proactive steps taken to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Regular dental visits allow us to do the following:

  • Monitor your oral health
  • Remove harmful plaque and tartar buildup
  • Identify potential problems before they become painful or expensive to treat

Research consistently shows people who maintain regular dental appointments experience fewer cavities, less gum disease, and better overall health outcomes. Your preventive care plan begins with understanding your unique risk factors and oral health history. We evaluate everything from your brushing habits to medical conditions potentially affecting your mouth. This comprehensive approach helps us tailor recommendations specifically for your needs, whether you’re managing diabetes, taking medications causing dry mouth, or simply want to maintain your current excellent oral health.

Digital diagnostic tools enhance our ability to detect problems early. Our advanced imaging systems can identify decay between teeth, monitor bone levels around your teeth, and track changes in your oral health over time. This technology allows us to spot issues that might not be visible during a visual examination alone.

What Are Essential Components of Preventive Dental Care?

There are several treatments that fall under the umbrella of preventative dentistry that may be essential to treating your unique oral health concerns. These preventative dental care treatments include the following:

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Regular Professional Cleanings

Professional dental cleanings remove plaque and tartar your toothbrush can’t reach. Even with excellent home care, certain areas of your mouth naturally accumulate bacteria and deposits. Our dental hygienists use specialized instruments to thoroughly clean above and below your gum line, polishing your teeth to a smooth finish that resists future plaque accumulation.

The frequency of your cleanings depends on your individual needs. While many patients benefit from cleanings every six months, some may need more frequent visits based on their gum health, medical history, or tendency toward plaque buildup. We work with you to determine the ideal schedule for maintaining optimal oral health.

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Comprehensive Oral Examinations

Regular examinations go far beyond checking for cavities. We evaluate your gums for signs of inflammation or disease, examine soft tissues for any unusual changes, and assess your bite and jaw function. Our thorough approach includes screening for oral cancer, evaluating existing dental work, and monitoring any areas of concern from previous visits.

Early detection makes treatment more conservative and successful. A small cavity caught early may require only a simple filling, while one left untreated could eventually need a crown or root canal treatment. Similarly, early-stage gum disease responds well to professional cleaning and improved home care, while advanced gum disease may require more intensive treatment.

Invest in your smile’s future – protect your oral health with preventive care and convenient monthly payment options.

Personalized Home Care Guidance

Effective preventive care extends beyond our office visits. We provide personalized instruction on brushing techniques, flossing methods, and oral hygiene products best suited to your needs. Some patients benefit from electric toothbrushes, while others do well with specialized floss or mouth rinses targeting specific concerns. 

Your home care routine should be sustainable and effective. We help you develop habits you can maintain long-term rather than overwhelming you with complicated regimens. Simple improvements to your daily routine often produce dramatic improvements in your oral health.

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What Are Advanced Preventive Dentistry Technologies?

Modern preventive dentistry incorporates sophisticated diagnostic tools improving our ability to detect and prevent problems. Some of this advanced technology includes the following:

  • Digital radiography provides detailed images with minimal radiation exposure, allowing us to see between teeth and below the gum line
  • Intraoral cameras let you see what we see, helping you understand your oral health status and any recommended treatments
  • Digital impressions eliminate the need for messy traditional molds when creating custom appliances
  • Electronic health records ensure your information is always accessible and up-to-date across all your visits
  • Laser bacterial reduction can eliminate harmful bacteria in gum pockets without the discomfort of traditional methods

These advanced tools help us provide more precise, comfortable preventive care for our patients.

Experience Comprehensive Preventive Dental Care in Jacksonville

We believe uncompromising care begins with prevention. Our comprehensive approach to preventive dentistry combines advanced technology with personalized attention, helping you maintain optimal oral health throughout your life. Dr. Mullens, Dr. Nguyen, and Dr. Petrie bring years of experience and a commitment to excellence in every aspect of your care.

 

Our state-of-the-art facility provides a comfortable, welcoming environment where patients feel genuinely cared for as individuals. From our initial comprehensive examination through ongoing preventive care, we focus on building lasting relationships based on trust, quality, and exceptional service. Schedule your preventive care appointment by calling 904-441-6560 or completing our online contact form.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

If you have any food debris or an object stuck between your teeth, don’t try to remove it with a toothpick or any sharp objects, as this could damage your gums. Typically, gently flossing around the tooth and rinsing your mouth with saltwater can help dislodge it. However, if you’re not having any luck, you can also give our office a call. Our dental hygienists have all of the necessary tools to safely remove the debris.

Jaw Pain

Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? Lockjaw, jaw tension, and pain are just a few of the many different types of jaw pain. If your discomfort is chronic, our team can help you determine the underlying cause of it and refer you to a specialist if necessary. However, if your pain is a result of an impact, visit your local emergency room.

How You Should Handle Jaw Pain: Our team is happy to provide you with further guidance over the phone if you’re unsure of where to go for help. You can place an ice pack on the outside of your face to relieve any discomfort.

How We Treat Jaw Pain: If you believe your jaw is broken, dislocated, or damaged due to trauma, visit your local ER immediately. If it’s a reoccurring issue, our team can help you determine best next steps for finding relief after conducting an examination.

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency?  If your oral injury doesn’t stop bleeding after 10 minutes, you may need to go to the emergency room. Or, if you’re conflicted about what to do, give our office a call and our team can help.

How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: Oral wounds can bleed a lot, and when the blood mixes with the saliva, it can make the injury look a lot worse than it is. You can stop the bleeding by using a clean washcloth or piece of gauze and pressing it against the cut. A cold compress can help to reduce any swelling that may occur.

How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: Our team typically doesn’t see patients for injuries. If you require stitches or the bleeding doesn’t stop within 10 minutes of placing pressure on it, visit your local emergency room.

Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? If your tooth is wiggling in its socket or partially dislodged, try to get to our office as soon as possible to prevent any further damage. If you’re experiencing pain, our team can provide you with first aid guidance over the phone.

How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth: Avoid touching your tooth and eating any foods (especially those that are chewy or sticky), and rinse your mouth with lukewarm saltwater to remove any debris and cleanse the area. Avoid flossing or brushing your teeth until you’re able to see us.

How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth: If your tooth has become partially dislodged due to impact, our team may be able to salvage it and see if the roots are able to re-fuse with the bone. In the case that your tooth can’t be saved, we may recommend an extraction and replacement with a dental implant or bridge.

Broken Denture

Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Whether your denture has broken to the point of it being unwearable or it just has a crack, you should never wear a damaged prosthetic. It can lead to irritation of the oral tissues in addition to jaw discomfort. If you have existing teeth and try to wear your damaged denture, it could also harm those teeth. Call our office immediately so our team can assess your prosthetic.

How You Should Handle a Broken Denture: Although your local department store likely sells a denture repair kit, do not try to superglue or repair your own dentures. The best option in this scenario is to see a professional as soon as possible.

How We Treat Broken Dentures: Our team will examine your dentures and see if we’re able to repair them. If they’re damaged beyond repair, we can start the process of replacing them for you.

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Yes, both of these situations warrant an immediate call to our Jacksonville dental office. That way, we can repair or replace your restoration as quickly as possible.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown In addition to reaching out to us to schedule an appointment, we recommend not eating anything crunchy, hard, or sticky. Additionally, keep your restoration somewhere safe, like a small, clean container.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns There are some cases where we can re-cement your restoration back in place, like if your dental crown is relatively new and in good condition. Other times, our only option is to replace your dental crown or filling with a new one.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? Since this dental injury can cause a significant amount of pain and there is only a small window of time where we can save your tooth (about 60 minutes), the answer is “yes!” So, don’t hesitate – contact our Jacksonville dental team right away to schedule an emergency appointment.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth Calling us is an important first step. This ensures that we can schedule an appointment for you with one of our dedicated emergency dentists right away. Plus, it allows us to guide you through the process of preserving the root of your tooth – whether that’s by placing it back in its socket or putting it in a clean container filled with milk.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth Fortunately, a knocked-out tooth can sometimes be saved. If that’s not the case for some reason – like you weren’t able to find your tooth – then we will instead begin the process of replacing it with a dental bridge or implant so the look, health, and function of your smile are restored.

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? Very sensitive teeth can be a dental emergency. That’s why it’s important to consider how long you’ve been experiencing symptoms and if they are present in tandem with others, like pain when biting down.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth There’s really only one thing you can do until your appointment: try to avoid things that could exacerbate your discomfort. In other words, don’t drink anything really hot, don’t eat anything really cold, and take OTC pain medication as directed on the label (if needed).

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth That depends on what’s causing your dental sensitivity. If it’s a cavity, then it’s likely that a tooth-colored filling or dental crown is the answer. If it’s an infection in your gums, then gum disease treatment is needed instead.

Cracked Tooth

Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency? Cracked teeth are considered dental emergencies and you’ll need to visit your emergency dentist as soon as possible. Leaving your tooth untreated can allow it to be vulnerable to further damage and bacteria. Before the situation worsens, schedule an appointment with our team so we can determine the best way to address your tooth.

How you should handle a cracked tooth: Refrain from chewing on that side of your mouth, otherwise you could end up disturbing your injured tooth. Take over-the-counter pain relievers to minimize discomfort. You can also rinse with saltwater to keep your tooth bacteria-free. If you notice any sharp or jagged edges on your tooth, you can use dental wax or sugar-free gum to protect your soft oral tissue.

How we treat cracked teeth: We’ll examine your cracked tooth to determine the cause of the situation as well as the proper treatment for it. If the crack is minor, then we can typically address it with composite resin to improve and strengthen your tooth. For more severe damage, you may require a dental crown to repair the structure and prevent future discomfort. If the tooth cannot be saved, then we’ll likely have to extract it and replace it with something else, such as a dental bridge, partial denture, or dental implant.

Chipped Tooth

Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency? Chipping your tooth isn’t always considered an urgent dental situation, so it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t get it treated right away. That said, leaving it exposed to bacteria for too long can lead to problems later on. Before the situation can become worse, it’s best to visit your dentist for help.

How you should handle a chipped tooth: Until you’re able to see us for treatment, be sure to avoid chewing on that side of your mouth. Be gentle when brushing your teeth and gums, and don’t hesitate to use dental wax to cover up any rough or sharp edges you might notice. This can help you prevent harming your cheeks or other soft oral tissue.

How we treat chipped teeth: Chipped teeth can typically be treated by using composite resin to repair and improve them. However, if the damage is more visible and toward the front of your smile, then veneers might be the longer-lasting solution you’re looking for.

Toothaches

Is my toothache a dental emergency? Toothaches can be due to various reasons, some of which might not be particularly urgent. Even so, this can sometimes be an indication of a more serious dental emergency, such as an oral infection. That’s why it’s best to visit your dentist sooner rather than later so that they can address the underlying problem before it grows.

How you should handle a toothache: Rinse your mouth with saltwater to sanitize the area, dislodge any stuck objects between your teeth, and help alleviate any discomfort. You can also take over-the-counter pain medications to further minimize the aching.

How we treat toothaches: Our team will need to thoroughly evaluate your smile to determine the root cause of your toothache. If it’s due to periodontal issues, then we’ll provide gum disease treatment. Other procedures to get rid of your toothache might involve root canals or tooth extractions, if necessary. We’ll be sure to walk you through your options before moving forward with any treatment.