Dental Exams & Cleanings

The Veterans Administration provides care to Veterans through community providers when the VA cannot provide the treatment needed. The VA Community Care Network (CCN) links the VA to dental providers in the community to ensure that Veterans have access to high-quality, timely oral health care.

A VA Community Care Provider in Albuquerque, NM

Currently, local VA clinics are understaffed and have limited operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has placed a severe strain on VA dental providers, leading to lengthy delays for veterans to obtain needed dental care in a timely fashion. And in many cases, prompt dental treatment for veterans spares them unnecessary discomfort and can mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth.

At Blue Sky Dental, Dr. Corey Woods is committed to ensuring that our veterans receive proper oral health care and has partnered with the VA through the Community Care Network. This allows veterans in Albuquerque, Placitas, Tijeras, Rio Ranchero and surrounding areas to receive timely dental exams, teeth cleanings, tooth fillings, and other needed treatment needed to maintain a healthy smile.

If you have a family member or know someone who is eligible for VA dental benefits, please call our Blue Sky Dental at (505) 275-2492 for more information.

Preventive dentistry, including dental exams and teeth cleanings at our Albuquerque dental office every six months, is the best way to avoid cavities and gum disease that threaten your oral health. Many dental conditions can be detected by your dentist or hygienist before becoming uncomfortable and a bigger, more costly problem to fix.

Preventive Dentistry Protects Your Oral Health

Unfortunately, many people only go to the dentist when they have a toothache. They may feel they can avoid unnecessary costs or discomfort, but the best way to avoid dental pain and costly dental treatment is regular preventive care. 

Gum disease, for example, is often painless when it starts, and the symptoms can be so mild that it can go unnoticed. Without prompt treatment, gum disease or gingivitis can lead to periodontitis, the advanced form of gum disease.

At this stage, if we don’t treat periodontitis promptly, you are at increased risk for tooth loss. Several systemic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and certain kinds of cancer, have all been linked to periodontal disease.

During your routine six-month dental exams, our dentist in Albuquerque can detect a small painless cavity and treat it promptly with a tooth filling. Finding the cavity and treating it when it’s small can help prevent the need for a crown, root canal, or extraction that might be necessary if you delayed treatment. 

Schedule Your Next Dental Exam and Cleaning

The perfect time to visit the dentist for preventive exams and cleanings is when your teeth feel fine and aren’t experiencing toothaches or gum disease symptoms. Preventing dental problems from developing is always better than letting them take hold.

If you are due for your next six-month exam and teeth cleaning, please call Blue Sky Dental in Albuquerque to schedule an appointment.

Periodontal or gum disease is an infection of the gums and is a serious condition that must be treated by a skilled dental hygienist. At our Albuquerque dental office, we provide customized teeth cleanings to help you avoid gum disease and to treat it if it develops.

How Does Gum Disease Develop?

After you brush, a layer of proteins from saliva and oral bacteria form on your tooth surfaces. As more bacteria attach, a natural biofilm forms. If you remove the biofilm with proper brushing and flossing, it remains a colony of mostly harmless and even beneficial bacteria.

If you don’t brush at least twice a day, the film thickens and turns to plaque that becomes a home for harmful cavity-causing bacteria that stimulates an inflammatory response. Gums pull away from the teeth, and without early treatment, the disease progresses to periodontitis, which can cause irreversible damage to tissue and the bones that hold your teeth in place.

Eventually, teeth can loosen, and the only solution is to remove them. Over 70 percent of tooth loss is due to periodontal disease.

Why Is Gum Disease So Dangerous?

Research continues to show an association between periodontal disease and a range of other health issues. Most well-known are diabetes and heart disease, but more recent research has linked gum disease to certain forms of cancer, respiratory disease, even Alzheimer’s and pregnancy complications.

How Do You Treat Gum Disease?

Mild gum disease is called gingivitis and is reversible if treated promptly. Our hygienists will perform a thorough professional teeth cleaning and offer tips for improving your brushing and flossing skills. This step, along with conscientious at-home oral hygiene, are typically enough to eliminate gingivitis.

Advanced gum disease is treated with scaling and root planing (SRP), also referred to as deep cleaning. This treatment removes calculus and bacteria from below the gum line. This is followed by periodontal maintenance, usually at three-month intervals, to prevent bacteria from returning.

Schedule Your Next Teeth Cleaning in Albuquerque, NM

Periodontal disease often has very mild symptoms, which can lead to it being ignored. If you’re overdue for a teeth cleaning, call Blue Sky Dental to schedule an appointment.