What is the latest news from Two Rivers Dentistry? Below, you can find out what is going on at our dental office in Vancouver, Washington, and get updates from our dentist. If you would like to learn more about the things we are doing and get the latest information about caring for your smile, call our office at 360-256-1202 and schedule a visit with Dr. Vaughn Teuscher.
two rivers blog launched
Come check it out! We will be posting updates at the Two Rivers Dentistry Blog.
COVID-19 UPDATE
A lot of things have changed since the middle of March of 2020. For one, we had a surprise that we had to close for 2 months due the coronavirus pandemic to all but emergency patients. There was a lot of confusion in the news and through our dental societies and government agencies, not to mention the governor’s office and his mandates, but we successfully navigated through that safely and helped many emergency patients who were in pain. Now that we are open again, we have learned a lot of lessons (see blog) and have instituted all the guidelines given by the CDC, WSDA, ADA and OSHA, WISHA, and DOSH. Currently all patients enter our office using a mask and only takes it off for treatment. We take their temperature using a forehead laser probe, then document all the questions asked to make sure no one is sick, and then they sign a release. We have purchased UV/air cleaners in each operatory and are instituting more stringent hospital grade sterilization of the office. We are using a product called Biosurf in a bag which is the only product on the market proven to kill all viruses and bacteria within minutes and we use it fresh each day so it doesn’t degrade. We are wearing more PPE than we used to, masks that filter more and face shields and gowns and hair coverings. It does tend to get a little hot and we have had to increase our air conditioning during the summer months to stay comfortable. In addition we have removed all magazines and toys in our waiting room, and have had patients wait in their car if possible to maintain social distancing. I recently spoke with the Clark County Public health department and the state heath department people and they were impressed with our protocol. The ADA and Washington State Dental Association have been fantastic about giving us a toolkit to give us guidelines to use to stay as safe as possible while we navigate through this difficult time. If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know. We want to do everything possible to ensure your health and well-being.
carifree anticavity treatment
New way to prevent cavities before they start.
Tooth decay is mainly caused by a bacterial infection on the teeth. Our office is on the cutting edge of dentistry by practicing CAMBRA, which stands for “caries management by risk assessment.” Instead of simply treating symptoms by filling cavities, we can identify the risk factors and prescribe a simple treatment program at home to stop the infection before it causes damage to the teeth. We use the CariFree system (carifree.com) which consists of a series of mouth rinses to reduce the bacterial levels on your teeth, giving you a better chance of avoiding future dental decay. It’s that simple.
If you have visible cavities, white spots, cavities showing on a Xray, or cavities in the last 3 years you are at high risk for developing cavities in the future. The CariFree treatment rinse is a two part rinse that kills the harmful destructive bacteria on your teeth. It has an elevated pH that is designed to offset the acidic condition of the infection. This is followed by the CariFree Maintenence Rinse which is designed to create an environment in your mouth which prevents the destructive bacteria from re-establishing itself. It also has an elevated pH which promotes a healthy oral environment. We may also recommend ClinPro 5000 which is a prescription strength toothpaste with 5000 ppm fluoride and an innovative Tri-Calcium Phosphate formula for remineralization of the teeth and added protection. MI Paste is another unique formula that is found to remineralize the teeth. Other treatments may be recommended such as fluoride varnish applications, xylitol, and dry mouth products etc. to further help combat this disease depending on the level of risk.
Even if you brush, floss, and visit your dentist regularly, harmful levels of the decay-causing bacteria may still be present. Studies show that it can be transmitted to other member of your household. If left untreated if can lead to more cavities, crowns, bridges, root canals, and ultimately leading to … tooth loss…
If you would like to prevent this downward spiral from occuring or would just like to protect the dentistry that you have, contact our office for a free assessment that only takes a few minutes and treatment can begin the same day. If you have any questions email our office or call for an appointment.