When it comes to safeguarding your oral health and well-being, you absolutely should visit the dental office twice a year. Visiting your dentist for routine checkups and cleanings significantly increases the odds that you will enjoy early detection if problems were to arise. Early detection is advantageous for many reasons but primarily for helping preserve vital tissue from destructive disease and for receiving dental work that is conservative and not overly invasive. With regular visits to our practice, you give our team a chance to become very acquainted with your oral anatomy and health history so that we can stay on top of potential issues with vigilance.
What do dental checkups reveal?
While most people associate a dental checkup with looking for signs of tooth decay and gum disease, checkups are surprisingly comprehensive to many people. Beyond looking for dental caries, a checkup can reveal a number of potential issues including bone loss, infections inside teeth, damage and inflammation of the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), and malocclusions. Another important aspect of receiving a checkup is the fact that dental examinations include a screening for oral cancer, which can be fatal if not treated quickly enough.
Are dental cleanings really necessary?
Some people believe that oral hygiene conducted at home is all that is needed to keep a clean mouth. While brushing and flossing are essential to keeping teeth and gums free of debris, oral hygiene at home cannot keep teeth as clean as they should be. This is why professional teeth cleanings are necessary. Using handheld instruments, our hygienists will gently remove all surface debris like tartar (which cannot be removed with brushing and flossing alone). Then teeth are rinsed and polished to a perfect clean. There is nothing like the thorough feeling of clean that a professional cleaning offers.
Cleanings are an important aspect of preventing oral health conditions, especially gum disease. This is because two cleanings a year controls the accumulation of tartar—a leading cause of periodontal disease.
If it’s time for a cleaning or checkup, call us to reserve an appointment with our dentist, Dr. Daggula.
