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Holistic Preventive
Dental Care
Preventive care at Spring Smiles is guided by our experienced hygiene team, Gaea and Meg, who each bring decades of clinical dental experience and a shared focus on education and prevention. From a hygienist’s perspective, maintaining oral health means more than just cleanings—it involves understanding patterns, habits, and factors that influence the health of the teeth and gums over time.In addition to their dental hygiene training, our team brings advanced education in holistic and integrative approaches that complement traditional preventive care. Gaea is IAOMT-certified, reflecting additional training in biocompatible, safety-focused dental practices. Meg is nationally Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition®, with a focus in orthomolecular medicine, which supports patient education around nutrition-related factors that can influence oral health and healing.
This combination allows our hygiene visits to be both thorough and educational, helping patients better understand how daily habits, oral inflammation, and preventive care work together to support long-term dental health. Our goal is to provide a well-rounded, thoughtful approach to prevention that supports healthy smiles over time.
Regular Dental care
Routine exams and professional cleanings allow Dr. Duncan and our hygiene team to monitor your oral health and help maintain a balanced, healthy environment for your teeth and gums. During regular hygiene visits, plaque, bacteria, and tartar are carefully removed from areas that are difficult to reach at home, supporting gum health and reducing chronic inflammation in the mouth.
As part of our preventive approach, we utilize ozonated water, generated in-office and delivered through our dental waterlines. Ozonated water is used as a gentle adjunct during hygiene visits to help reduce bacterial load and support oral cleanliness without the use of harsh chemicals. This approach supports a healthier oral environment while remaining comfortable and well tolerated.
Consistent preventive care plays an important role beyond oral comfort and appearance. Because the mouth is closely connected to the rest of the body, maintaining healthy gums and a stable oral environment may help reduce ongoing inflammatory stress and support overall wellness.
Regular dental visits allow changes to be identified early—often before they develop into more complex concerns—helping support not only a healthy smile, but long-term oral and whole-body health.
X-Rays
Dental X-rays are an important diagnostic tool that allow us to evaluate areas of the teeth, bone, and supporting structures that cannot be seen during a clinical exam alone. Advances in modern digital radiography have significantly reduced radiation exposure compared to older imaging systems, making today’s dental X-rays both precise and safety-focused.
We understand that radiation exposure is a concern for many patients, and we take that concern seriously. Our approach follows current American Dental Association (ADA) recommendations, which emphasize appropriate, justified use of imaging.
Digital X-rays provide essential information that supports accurate diagnosis and preventive care, including the ability to assess:
⏺️ Interproximal (between-the-teeth) decay
⏺️ Bone levels and bone health
⏺️ Periodontal diseaseInfections
⏺️ Cysts or tumors
⏺️ Tooth development, eruption patterns, and root positioning, especially in children
Without imaging, many of these conditions may go undetected until they become more complex or symptomatic.
At Spring Smiles, we use advanced handheld digital X-ray units that allow our clinical team to remain in the room with patients during imaging. These units are designed to limit radiation exposure and minimize scatter. As part of our ongoing safety monitoring, all providers wear radiation badges that are routinely reviewed. To date, badge readings consistently confirm no measurable scatter radiation, reinforcing the safety of our imaging protocols.
We take a conservative approach to imaging frequency, recommending X-rays only when they provide meaningful diagnostic value and support thoughtful treatment planning. This balanced approach allows us to care for our patients responsibly—using the tools necessary to evaluate oral health while prioritizing safety and transparency.
Digital X-rays are one of the ways we support preventive, informed dental care and help patients feel confident in the decisions made for their long-term oral health.
Gum Disease &
Periodontal Care
Gum disease affects a significant portion of adults and often progresses quietly without obvious symptoms in its early stages. When left untreated, it can lead to bone loss, tooth instability, and chronic inflammation, which may impact both oral and overall health.
At Spring Smiles, we offer deep cleanings, also known as scaling and root planing, when periodontal disease is present. This treatment focuses on thoroughly removing plaque and hardened tartar from below the gumline, where bacteria cannot be reached with routine brushing or standard cleanings. The root surfaces are then gently smoothed to reduce bacterial accumulation and support healing of the surrounding gum tissue.
Scaling and root planing is typically completed over two appointments, with one side of the mouth treated at a time to ensure comfort and effectiveness. In some cases, localized ozone therapy may be recommended to help reduce bacterial levels as part of periodontal care.
Following treatment, patients are often scheduled for more frequent maintenance visits to help stabilize gum health, monitor healing, and reduce the risk of disease progression.
The bitewing X-rays shown below provide an example of how periodontal disease can appear radiographically. X-rays allow us to evaluate bone levels and detect changes or decay that may not be visible during a clinical exam alone, helping guide appropriate and timely treatment.
Oral Cancer Screenings
Oral cancer screenings are an important part of our routine preventive exams at Spring Smiles. During regular visits, Dr. Duncan carefully evaluates the tissues of the mouth, tongue, throat, and surrounding areas for changes that may warrant further attention.
Many early changes associated with oral cancer are painless and not easily noticed by patients. Including screenings as part of routine care allows potential concerns to be identified early, when additional evaluation or referral may be most beneficial.
If an area of concern is observed, Dr. Duncan will discuss appropriate next steps, which may include monitoring, additional imaging, referral, or further evaluation as clinically indicated.
Routine oral cancer screenings provide reassurance and support proactive care, helping protect long-term oral and overall health through early awareness and timely follow-up.
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