Why Are Regular Dental Exams & Cleanings Important for Oral Health?
You may think your dentist is trying to take you on a financial ride when they suggest a slew of measures they claim helps to keep your dental and oral health in optimal condition. You accept all suggestions from the dentist only to hear you must also visit the dental clinic near you for six-monthly exams and cleanings or even more frequent visits if you are at risk of tooth decay or gum disease.
Fearful your dentist is holding some information back about your dental health; you contact the dentist in McKinney for a second opinion to understand the importance of regular dental exams and cleanings from dental professionals. The McKinney dentist surprises you by stating the six-monthly visits are essential to keep your teeth and gums healthy. The frequency of the appointments may increase or decrease depending on any risk factors of oral infections you are exposed to.
The McKinney dentist consoles you with information that the six-monthly checkups are not scary or will cause any anxiety because they are merely an examination and a preventive measure to ensure you haven’t developed and infections in your mouth since your last visit. The meetings with the dentist last for about an hour to leave you feeling pleased everything is fine in your mouth.
What Happens During Dental Visits for Exams and Cleanings?
There are two parts of the procedure during the six-month visit for dental exams & cleanings in McKinney. First, the dentist performs a comprehensive checkup of your mouth, and second, a registered dental hygienist takes over to give you a thorough cleaning leaving you with brighter-looking teeth and minty fresh breath.
If you think you don’t have any infections in your mouth to receive a comprehensive dental exam from the dentist, you are committing a grave error. Dental conditions such as tooth decay or gum disease don’t advertise themselves before making themselves evident in your mouth. Micro-cavities may infect your tooth and remain undetected until they are seen by your dentist by taking x-rays. Similarly, gum disease is a silent killer making its presence felt by displaying swelling and redness in your gums and minor bleeding when brushing and flossing during the initial stages.
These conditions become evident later when they have progressed to advanced stages. However, dentists can detect these problems early to help prevent their progress or even reverse them when you attend regular dental exams and cleanings without exceptions.
During your dental exam, the McKinney dentist checks your teeth for cavities taking x-rays to detect holes between your teeth. The exam also includes checkups for plaque and tartar buildup on your teeth. Plaque, a sticky and transparent film, constantly develops on the teeth hardening into tartar if not removed.
Plaque removal is challenging, especially on your back teeth. Excess plaque hardens into tartar within 48 hours and needs help from dentists for removal. Plaque and tartar are the leading causes of the disease and can develop silently unless you schedule regular appointments with your dentist for this preventive exam and cleaning.
The exam also includes a checkup of your tongue because the dentist looks for signs of swelling, redness, and other symptoms indicating signs of oral cancer. The measures are all preventive and not diagnostic.
What about the Dental Cleaning Procedure?
The dental cleaning procedure is as comfortable as brushing and flossing your teeth, except a registered dental hygienist performs it. First, the hygienist uses small mirrors and scalers to eliminate plaque and tartar buildup on your teeth to remove any risks of gum disease affecting you. Next, the hygienist brushes your teeth with gritty toothpaste using a high-powered electric toothbrush to remove any leftover plaque from the earlier scaling procedure.
After your teeth are entirely free from plaque and tartar, you receive a flossing demonstration which you may think is unnecessary if you use this tool at home regularly. However, nothing beats a professional flossing lesson when the hygienist gets deep between your teeth to detect any problem areas that may cause bleeding in your mouth.
At the end of the cleaning session, the hygienist requests you to rinse your mouth and prepare yourself to receive a fluoride treatment helpful for batting cavities for several months. The exam and cleaning would have taken merely an hour to complete but would have left you with peace of mind knowing your mouth is free from infections or diseases until your next visit.
The importance of regular exams & cleanings is exceptionally high because dental infections develop in your mouth without warning, even if you maintain excellent dental hygiene. The conditions are comfortably detected by dental professionals having sophisticated tools and eliminated before they advance. To prevent unnecessary complications later, you must get preventive dental exams and cleanings every six months, saving yourself plenty of money in the long run.
Are you looking for dental exams and cleaning in McKinney? Call or book an appointment with Arte Dental – McKinney today!