George Rivera, DDS

A Great Dentist

Request an Appointment

Phone (630) 592-4949

Text Us (630) 827-8267

17W535 Butterfield Rd. Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

George Rivera, DDS > Services > Preventive Care

George Rivera, DDS provides preventive care services to patients of all ages in Oakbrook Terrace and beyond.

Woman smiling | Oakbrook Terrace Dentist

Schedule Your Next Dental Exam or Cleaning Today

Call Us Now!

Dental Cleanings in Oakbrook Terrace

Maintaining your dental health is important for your overall physical health and wellbeing. Preventive dental care is integral to keeping your teeth and gums healthy for a lifetime. However, preventive care is more than just daily brushing or flossing.

To remain truly proactive in your oral health journey, you must regularly visit your Oakbrook Terrace dentist to receive professional dental care. At George Rivera, DDS, we provide comprehensive preventive dental care to patients all of ages and at all stages of life.

woman at dentist in oakbrook terrace

Family-Friendly Preventive Dentistry

Dr. Rivera’s key role as your general dentist in Oakbrook Terrace is to guide you through your oral health journey, provide patient education, and prevent and treat any dental issues that could harm your health. Our team also helps you build healthier habits, so you can learn how to best care for your smile. To maintain optimal oral health, it’s best to combine good oral hygiene with professional dental exams and cleanings.

Some of the preventive services we offer include:

Regular oral exams - Dr. Rivera checks for any signs of disease, decay, or other dental health issues by performing a thorough oral exam. We recommend receiving exams every six months to preserve the health of your teeth and gums.
Teeth cleanings in Oakbrook Terrace - Our skilled and experienced dental hygienists use special equipment to gently remove plaque buildup, eliminate bacteria, and reduce the risk of cavities.
Routine x-rays - Dr. Rivera and our team use digital x-rays to detect underlying issues and identify potential irregularities early.
Dental fillings - To repair the damage caused by cavities or an injury, Dr. Rivera offers durable tooth-colored fillings to match your smile.
Dental crowns - Our customized dental crowns protect weak, damaged, or decayed teeth.

How Can You Benefit from Preventive Dental Care?

It’s essential to maintain healthy teeth and gums for numerous reasons. At George Rivera, DDS, our goal is to help you keep your teeth for a lifetime, so we encourage our patients to visit us every six months. Here’s why:

Early Detection of Oral Health Issues

When you make regular visits to our dental office, it gives us a chance to detect any oral health issues, allowing for timely intervention. By removing plaque and tartar buildup and looking for signs of tooth decay and gum disease, we can keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Prevention of Dental Problems

Going to the dentist every six months is about more than a routine dental cleaning. Regular dental visits allow us to help you prevent serious problems. A minor cavity or the beginning stages of gum disease is easily treated, keeping your oral health intact.

Improved Oral and Overall Health

We perform an oral cancer screening and assess your overall health during your regular dental checkup. Combined with daily brushing and flossing, preventive dental care can help you maintain healthy teeth and gums and reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke.

Frequently Asked Questions

Manual or electric toothbrush, which is better?

Brushing your teeth twice daily is one of the best ways to protect your smile and oral health. However, some of our patients wonder which type of toothbrush is best to use, and the answer is that, like anything, both have pros and cons.

Your Oakbrook Terrace dentist recommends brushing for two minutes twice daily, whether you're using a manual or electric toothbrush.

Manual vs. Electric Toothbrush: Explained

Using a manual toothbrush is effective if you're employing proper brushing techniques. Carefully moving the brush in circles over your teeth's front, back, and chewing surfaces, being gentle around the gumline is the best way to use a manual toothbrush.

An electric toothbrush is great because it does a lot of the hard work for you. All you have to do is gently hold the brush and glide it along the front, back, and chewing surfaces of your teeth, spending 30 seconds in each quadrant of your mouth, which the brush will time for you. Most electric toothbrushes will also alert you if you're pressing too hard so you can avoid damage to your delicate gum tissue.

Contact Our Dentist Office To Schedule Today

If you have questions about proper brushing and flossing techniques or other aspects of your dental health, we welcome your call to our Oakbrook Terrace dental office at (630) 592-4949.

How often should I floss?

Flossing at least once daily helps keep your teeth and mouth clean and bacteria-free. Flossing is essential because your toothbrush can't reach between your teeth, where plaque can actually build up and cause tooth decay and cavities.

Flossing at night is ideal because it removes the day's plaque buildup from meals and leaves you with a fresh mouth while you sleep.

What Is The Proper Flossing Technique?

Flossers or strings of floss are both effective for removing plaque. If you choose to use a string of floss, secure it by gently wrapping it around one finger from each hand so you can hold it taut in between. Then in a c-shape motion, gently slide the floss around each tooth, using a clean piece each time.

Combine your daily flossing with brushing twice a day, and you'll have a consistent home care routine that protects your teeth from problems like tooth decay and gum disease. Bi-annual visits to your Oakbrook Terrace dentist will also protect your oral health. These visits are also an excellent opportunity to get tips on brushing and flossing techniques to ensure you're doing the best job you can brushing and flossing at home.

Call George Rivera DDS To Schedule Today

Is it time for your next dental visit? Contact your Chicago dentist at (630) 592-4949 to schedule your next appointment.

Why are routine teeth cleanings important?

Patients in Oakbrook Terrace commonly ask us why they need to see us for routine teeth cleanings if they brush and floss conscientiously. The reason is that cleanings and exams are considered preventive, meaning we don’t want to wait until problems develop to see you.

Benefits of Routine Dental Cleanings in Oakbrook Terrace

The benefit of seeing you every six months, or as recommended by our hygienist, is that we can monitor your dental needs on an ongoing basis. If we detect gum disease, we can provide prompt treatment and work with you to prevent it from advancing or reoccurring.

Another reason for routine teeth cleanings is to remove plaque buildup that your brush and floss miss. If plaque sits on your teeth too long, it turns into a hard substance called tartar. No amount of brushing and flossing at home can remove tartar, as it sticks stubbornly to teeth and can only be removed by a hygienist using specialized instruments.

We recommend teeth cleanings and exams at our Oakbrook Terrace dental office every six months for patients with healthy teeth and no history of gum disease. Patients prone to developing cavities or gum disease will benefit from more frequent checkups.

Are You Due for Your Next Dental Cleaning in Oakbrook Terrace?

Please call us to schedule your next teeth cleaning and dental exam at George Rivera, DDS.

The Mouth-Body Connection

Your mouth’s health is directly connected to the health of your entire body. For example, people with an autoimmune disease, i.e., Crohn’s Disease, Lupus--or other conditions such as type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop periodontitis (gum disease). Periodontitis damages the oral cavity’s soft tissues and can even destroy teeth-supporting bones, which can eventually lead to tooth loss. However, studies have shown that managing gum and bone health can help control diabetes and vice versa.

Prevention Is the Best Medicine

Preventive dental care is essential to maintaining a strong and healthy smile. We encourage our patients to practice good dental hygiene and be mindful of their oral health habits. Regularly visiting your dentist can help you avoid developing or exacerbating potentially harmful health conditions. Routine visits are also the best way to avoid the discomfort and cost of complex dental procedures.

Dental exams and cleanings allow Dr. Rivera to assess and monitor your oral health, as well as promptly treat any underlying or emerging issues. Dr. Rivera is a compassionate and gentle dentist who values each patient and listens to their needs, concerns, and preferences. Ultimately, our team wants to help you and your family remain as healthy as possible by caring for your smile.

Meet Our Doctor:

Dr. George Rivera
Dentist

Dr. Rivera is a highly skilled and experienced dentist who earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree in general dentistry from Loyola University’s School of Dentistry. He masterfully combines the science and artistry of dentistry by helping his patients enjoy healthier lives with beautiful smiles.

Over the years, Dr. Rivera has practiced dentistry in hospital settings and local neighborhoods around Chicago before starting his own Oakbrook Terrace dental office in 2009. Dr. Rivera is grateful to work everyday with an awesome team that he considers his extended family ...

Schedule Your Next Dental Appointment Today in Oakbrook Terrace!

Our team at George Rivera, DDS has the experience and skills your family can trust. We offer Oakbrook Terrace and the surrounding areas comprehensive gentle dentistry in a comfortable and welcoming environment. To schedule your next dental exam or cleaning, please call us at (630) 592-4949.

Featured Blog Posts - Preventive Care

March 29, 2024

Why Are Routine Dental Cleanings Important?

man sitting in dentist exam chair | dentist oakbrook terrace

Routine dental cleanings are an essential component of maintaining oral health and overall well-being. As emphasized by professionals like George Rivera, DDS, a leading dentist in Oakbrook, these cleanings go beyond just ensuring a bright smile; they play a crucial role in preventing diseases, diagnosing problems early, and saving ...

How Can I Tell if I Have a Cavity?

woman making a salad | dental exams oakbrook terrace il

You probably know that your Oakbrook Terrace dentist recommends that you make and keep appointments for dental exams and cleanings every six months. Unfortunately, life is busy, and sometimes, you may not prioritize dental visits. However, if you want to avoid tooth decay, it’s essential to focus on preventative ...

How to Use Your Electric Toothbrush Correctly

Brushing your teeth twice daily is one of the best ways to protect your smile, dental health, and overall well-being. If you've switched to using an electric toothbrush, you're ahead of the game as it takes a lot of the guesswork out of proper brushing techniques. However, your Oak Terrace ...