Author: Nrp900Ri22Df

Patients here in Raleigh are sometimes curious about what steps we take to ensure the health of everyone in the office. The answer is “alot!”

Preventing and controlling the spread of infectious disease is crucial in the oral health community. The Center for Disease Control (“CDC”) and the American Dental Association have enacted thorough guidelines that help us create a safe environment for our patients and staff. By implementing proven cleaning and sterilization methods, North Raleigh Periodontics greatly reduces the risk of patients contracting any type of infectious disease.

Instrument Safety

At North Raleigh Periodontics, we ensure that every instrument is sterilized using the highest industry standards. Every instrument undergoes an intense sterilization process between each use.

First, we clean all our instruments by placing them in the ultrasonic machine. This machine uses ultrasonic vibrations to deep clean and destroy surface pathogens. Then we place the instruments in a heated dryer. The heated dryer eliminates moisture to prevent the regrowth of bacteria. Next, we bag each instrument individually and place it in an autoclave. The autoclave uses hot, pressurized, steam to destroy the protein structure of any potentially lingering bacteria and spores. After this process, the instrument is ready to use.

Hand Hygiene

Hand hygiene is basic but fundamental to protecting against infections. Every staff member washes their hands thoroughly throughout the day and before and after patient visits. Additionally, we use fresh gloves for each patient interaction, and we change gloves every time we touch a surface during every patient visit.

Clean Surfaces

Although seemingly a no-brainer, clean surfaces are crucial to upholding top-notch hygiene standards. To keep our surfaces bacteria-free, we disinfectant surfaces in the morning, evening, and throughout the day. We also cover surfaces with barriers that are changed between patients.

Personal Protective Equipment

To protect ourselves and our patients, we utilize personal protective equipment (“PPE”) . We use masks, gowns, shoe covers, gloves, caps, and facial shields. We change out the PPE between patients.

Air quality

We also use an air purification system in each operatory and in the waiting area. These systems use U-V light to kill any viral particles and circulate clean air throughout the office. We also use high-speed suction devices to remove aerosols from the vicinity of the patient.

Water Quality

Clean water is a key element in dental treatment. Cleaning the waterlines is a critical step to ensure the water quality meets the high standards of the Environmental Protection Agency. At North Raleigh Periodontics, we use our own internal water system to pump distilled water. We also employ steristraws that hook into the water lines to further sterilize the water as it flows through our system. Additionally, we flush the water lines daily and clean the water filters weekly.

In conclusion, we take every step to ensure that our facility is sterilized and bacteria-free for the health and safety of everyone who comes through our doors. You can rest easy knowing that when you visit North Raleigh Periodontics, you will be entering an environment that meets, and exceeds, industry standards.

Have questions? Give North Raleigh Periodontics a call at (919) 518-8222! Serving the greater Triangle area – Raleigh, Cary, Apex, and Wake Forest.

Expecting mothers know — or quickly come to realize — that pregnancy impacts numerous aspects of their day-to-day lives. This includes changes in gingival (a.k.a. gum) health. In fact, since the 1960s, researchers report a marked increase in gum disease in pregnant mothers. Many mothers will notice an alteration in the color, sensitivity, and even size of their gum tissue. In fact, nearly 75% of pregnant women will develop gum disease during pregnancy. Read on to find out why this shift occurs and what can be done to diminish pregnant parents’ greater susceptibility to gum disease.

For the family we love,

the patients we are thankful,

and for the blessings that will come.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dr. Singletary & North Raleigh Perio

What happens when I lose a tooth?

One of the most common questions I get from patients here in the Raleigh/Wake County area is: “Why would I need a bone graft after a tooth extraction?” After losing a tooth, many people do not consider the impact of that loss on the rest of their oral structures, especially their alveolar ridge. The term “alveolar ridge” refers to the thick ridge of bone containing the tooth sockets on the top and bottom of the mouth. Bone loss, a.k.a bone resorption, in the alveolar ridge area, is a common result of tooth loss, but the consequences can be severe.

Most everyone in Raleigh and in the Research Triangle area understand that regular tooth brushing is imperative to maintaining oral health. Even so, many individuals do not brush as often as they should. While brushing infrequently leads to oral health complications like gum disease, brushing too much may be a problem too! Over Brushing can actually counteract efforts to achieve healthy teeth and gums. How do you know when you are brushing too much?

Serving the greater Triangle area – Raleigh, Cary, Apex, and Wake Forest.

As holiday time approaches with its accompanying sweets and treats, we’re often asked, “Is sugar the root of all evil, or if it’s okay to indulge a little this time of year?” The answer may surprise you!

Read Dr. Macon Singletary’s recent article in Circa Magazine Don’t Sugarcoat the Truth: Is Sugar Really That Bad For Your Teeth? to find the answer AND to get some tips and tricks for this coming season.

For more information on this topic, listen to the Gum Guru Podcast by clicking the link below:

Oral Health Myth Busters

By now, it is common knowledge that smoking harms the general health of an individual. But did you know that it has an adverse impact on oral health as well, especially on the success or failure of an implant placement? Additionally, some people believe that while traditional cigarette or pipe smoking may harm them, vaping does not. This assumption that vaping is less harmful to oral health, especially implant placement, is incorrect.

WATCH OUR YOUTUBE VIDEO EXPLAINING ORAL ID HERE

Oral cancer is on the rise. In fact, while over the last decade most cancer rates have declined, in this year alone 45,780 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer. Worse, because it is difficult to discover oral cancer until the late stages, every hour an American with oral cancer dies from the disease. Even though the Center for Disease Control recommends an annual cancer screening, oral cancer is notoriously tough to detect until the late stages.

Gum or mints can freshen your breath, but they may be masking a larger issue in your mouth. Bad breath is often caused by gum disease and one in two American adults have the chronic form of the disease. It starts with infections under your gums where a toothbrush, rinse, and floss can’t reach. To help resolve the infections and freshen your breath, we offer prescription Perio Trays.