Family Dentistry

Bad breath is the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about. It's embarrassing for both the victim and the person that has it. In many cases, it's the garlic or onions you ate during lunch that causes bad breath, and an excellent antibacterial mouth rinse can help you get rid of it.

However, for some people, bad breath (halitosis) is chronic and doesn't go away no matter how they try to deal with it. In these cases, it's time to contact your Middletown dentist because you could be dealing with gum disease. Chronic bad breath is one of the early signs of an infection in your gums (gingivitis) that will eventually move to the bone that supports your teeth. Other symptoms of gingivitis may be red, irritated, or swollen gums. Or gums that bleed during brushing or flossing.

Your best defense against gum disease is your bi-annual visit to your dentist for cleanings and checkups. Dr. Karian will screen you for gum disease during every examination, and the good news is that you can often successfully manage gingivitis with a thorough professional cleaning and improvements to your home care routine. Contact Summit Dental today to schedule your appointment if you are dealing with bad breath or other signs of gum disease. 

Dental x-rays give Dr. Karian the inside view of your teeth, jaw, and bone that he needs to make the best diagnosis of any concerns that may be happening in your mouth. At every routine dental examination, he looks at your teeth and mouth thoroughly; however, x-rays allow him to detect concerns like tooth decay even earlier than an exam with the naked eye.

Dr. Karian recommends that dental x-rays (bitewings) be updated once a year to help him monitor your oral health. If you are having pain or an issue with a particular tooth, he may use a more specific x-ray (periapical) of just that tooth to help him determine exactly what's bothering it. X-rays can help him decide the best course of action for a problem tooth. 

Dental x-rays are perfectly safe for our patients as they emit much less radiation than other types of x-rays. Dr. Karian also uses a covering that protects patients during the x-ray process. The benefits of having x-rays updated once a year far outweighs the small amount of radiation you're exposed to for only a few seconds.

If you have further questions about dental x-rays or any other procedure at Summit Dental, we encourage you to call us.

For most healthy patients, Dr. Karian recommends that you have a thorough professional cleaning every six months, or twice per year. Patients who are keeping gum disease under control may need three or four cleanings throughout the year to maintain their condition as there is no cure for gum disease. 

Your cleaning is essential because your dental hygienist has the skills to remove plaque buildup that you might have overlooked during your brushing at home. Tartar is plaque that has calcified or hardened to the point that makes it impossible to remove with just brushing or flossing alone. It has to be scraped away with the tools your hygienist uses.

The time spent with your hygienist is also great for asking questions about products or techniques that might improve your home care routine. For example, your hygienist might recommend that you switch to an electric toothbrush if you haven't already done so. An electric toothbrush does the hard work of brushing for you while ensuring that you're gentle around your delicate gum tissue. It also times your brushing session to ensure that you're completing the recommended two minutes. 

Is it time for your next cleaning and checkup? This appointment is the most simple and straightforward way to protect your dental health. Call your Middletown dentist today to schedule your next appointment.

Your safety is our #1 concern.

Here at Summit Dental, we have taken steps to minimize your risk of acquiring COVID-19 while still maintaining your healthy smile. You will find us taking the following precautions to ensure your safety:

• Patient screening: all patients will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and have their temperatures checked prior to entering the treatment area. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4°F will be asked to reschedule their appointment.
• Team screening: all team members will have their temperatures checked twice daily and will remain at home if feeling ill
• Mask requirements: patients are required to wear a face-covering except when in the treatment chair.
• Virtual waiting room: you may elect to wait in your vehicle until your treatment: please call the office upon arrival and we will inform you when to come inside.
• Office cleanliness: we have increased the frequency of commercial cleaning of the office as well as the disinfection of high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs.
• Air filtration: our office was designed with a healthcare quality HVAC system to circulate fresh air and exhaust office air. We have installed HEPA filters for additional safety

We appreciate your trust.

We look forward to taking care of you and your family safely during the COVID-19 pandemic