How can you protect your smile from cavities and gum disease? Brushing every day is one important step, of course, but you also need to make sure that your teeth and gums are being examined and cleaned regularly by a knowledgeable dental professional who has been trained to recognize even the smallest signs of oral health issues. Get in touch with us today to schedule your next checkup and cleaning with Dr. Clark.
You’ve likely already heard that you should visit the dentist twice a year plenty of times. But what makes these appointments so important? The answer can be summed up in one word: prevention.
When your dentist cleans your teeth, they get rid of any plaque and tartar that have accumulated. Removing these harmful substances reduces your risk for a variety of dental issues, such as severe toothaches.
Additionally, your dentist might find small cavities that have already formed in your enamel. If cavities are left alone, they will grow worse over time, causing you to eventually need root canal therapy or an extraction. But if the cavity is treated with a filling early on, you can avoid a worst-case scenario.
Finally, if you have dental insurance, then you should make a point of scheduling regular checkups and cleanings to make sure that your benefits don’t go to waste. Most dental plans will pay for two preventive dental appointments annually.
After asking you about any medications you’re currently taking or any recent changes to your medical history, our team will examine your teeth, gums, and jaw very carefully for concerning symptoms. We will also take X-rays of your mouth at least once a year (which, assuming you keep up with your biannual appointments, essentially means every other checkup).
If your smile is currently in good health, we will simply schedule your next preventive checkup. But if there are currently any issues with your oral health that should be addressed as soon as possible, we will go over your options for treatment and schedule follow-up appointments as needed.
Of course, there’s no reason for our team to simply look for dental problems when we can also take steps to make them less likely to happen to begin with. To help you maintain a healthy smile, we can perform a dental cleaning that includes the following steps:
A regular dental cleaning typically takes about 30 minutes. With the average exam taking roughly 30 minutes as well, you can expect your routine appointment to take about one hour total.
That said, if you haven’t been to the dentist in a while or don’t brush and floss your teeth on a regular basis, then you’ll likely have more plaque buildup. Depending on the severity of the buildup, we may be able to complete your cleaning by spending just a few more minutes on your teeth. Otherwise, we may recommend scheduling a follow-up to address the buildup with a deeper cleaning.
It’s recommended that you get “regular” dental X-rays at least once per year. These types of X-rays help us check for cavities and monitor potential movement along your dental lineup. We typically perform these at one of your biannual checkup and cleaning appointments.
If you’ll be undergoing complex or lengthy treatment, however, we’ll likely take more advanced X-rays at regular intervals. During dental implant restoration, for example, we may take X-rays before and after implant surgery to make sure everything is progressing smoothly.
The American Dental Association (and your team here at Hill Avenue Dental) highly recommend visiting the dentist twice per year. This is for a couple of reasons:
It’s worth noting that dental insurance plans prioritize preventive dental care as well. Biannual checkups and cleanings are so effective at helping patients avoid oral conditions that most plans provide 100% coverage for two appointments per year!
If you’re due for X-rays, we’ll capture multiple images of your mouth to check for signs of tooth decay, infection, or hard-to-see dental damage.
At every checkup, we also perform an oral cancer screening. These screenings are quick and noninvasive, and since oral cancer treatment prognosis is favorable when the disease is caught early, it doesn’t hurt to check. Oral cancer can take many forms, but we primarily watch for abnormal patches of skin and lumps.
Naturally, we’ll visually examine your teeth as well! We may gently prod your pearly whites or measure your gumline for signs of recession. Rest assured, our team has a gentle touch, and we’ll report our findings directly to you.
