Noticing blood when you brush or floss can be surprising and sometimes concerning. While bleeding gums are common, they are not something to ignore. In many cases, bleeding is your body’s way of signaling that your gums need extra attention. Understanding what bleeding gums can mean helps you respond early and protect your long-term oral health.
Your first dental visit to our practice gives us a baseline understanding of your oral health and lets you decide if we’re a good fit for your needs. Most new patient exams take about 90 minutes and include X-rays, a cleaning, and a thorough check of your teeth and gums. You’ll leave knowing what’s going on in your mouth and what, if anything, needs attention.
Your daily habits have a bigger impact on your smile than you might think. Even if you’re brushing and flossing regularly, certain routines can slowly wear down tooth enamel, irritate gums, or make teeth more prone to damage.
What you eat plays a big role in your dental health—not just in preventing cavities, but in keeping your smile strong, gums healthy, and breath fresh. You probably already know that sugar can lead to tooth decay, but have you ever thought about how certain foods can actually help protect your teeth?
At Parker & Pennington Dentistry, we are passionate about helping our patients achieve lasting oral health. This is why we frequently remind them about the importance of receiving routine oral hygiene examinations and cleanings as recommended by our team. We recommend that most of our patients visit our office for an examination every four to six months, depending on their needs and their oral health. Aside from cleaning teeth, during these visits, we look for issues such as tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer.
We love seeing our patients each time they come to our office. In addition to hearing about what has been happening in their personal lives, we are also interested in any medical changes since their last visit. Each time you come to our office, it is necessary to share everything you can about your medical history, including any recent diagnosis, procedure, or medication. You may be surprised to learn that this information can change how we treat oral health. Many medications, prescription as well as over-the-counter, benefit your overall health but can also cause problems with your oral health.