Having a thorough teeth cleaning and dental exam at least twice each year are good guidelines to follow. However, there are individuals who may require treatment more often; following the advice of your dentist is your best option for determining the number of dental visits needed to keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible.
What Occurs During My Dental Visit?
With each cleaning appointment, your dental hygienist or dentist will remove the tartar that has been building on your teeth since your last visit. Dental instruments are used to scale away this build-up, or ultrasonic tools may be used to remove calculus.
Whichever option is used, this cleaning is necessary as merely brushing and flossing at home is not going to completely eliminate the tartar that forms on teeth especially around the gum line.
You will benefit from the dental x-rays performed. Bitewings are taken on back teeth that will detect any decay. The entire mouth is x-rayed at lesser intervals. These x-rays allow for the appropriate monitoring to see any changes that have occurred as well as watching for any new problems that may have begun.
Finally, teeth are flossed and polished so they will look their best.
The Dental Exam
This is an important of your dental visit. While it may only take a few minutes, this one act could actually save your life!
What is your dentist looking for? Dental decay; failing crowns; the onset of gum disease or gum recession; and most importantly, signs of oral cancer. Anyone can experience lesions, and all might not be cancerous. But during this check-up, your dentist is looking for anything suspicious.
Visits to the dentist should begin around the age of twelve months and continue twice a year for the rest of your life. Once those baby teeth fall out, the teeth that come in as children are the only other ones we get and are expected to serve us well for a lifetime.
Given the proper care, it is possible to keep teeth and gums healthy. Follow a regimen of brushing twice daily with a fluoridated toothpaste, floss every day, and make sure you visit our dentist as recommended for teeth cleaning and the dental exam.
