The Role of Dental Exams and Cleanings Explained
Many people are apprehensive about visiting dentists for exams and cleanings. They don’t understand why they must seek this preventive dental treatment from iSmile Dental San Pablo when they brush and lose their teeth as recommended by their dentist. People fail to realize the measures are a preventive solution to keep their oral and overall health optimal. Dental prophylaxis helps people reduce the risk of developing gum disease and cavities. Dentists believe you can take better care when you visit them twice a year for exams and cleanings.
What Happens During a Dental Exam?
During dental exams and cleanings in San Pablo, CA, the professional examine your neck, face, lower jaw, and lymph nodes. Besides the above, the dentist examines your gums for signs of gum disease and checks for chipped, cracked, broken, or loose teeth. The dentist also assesses your bite and explores the inside of your mouth for symptoms of oral cancer. They look for damages to existing fillings and take x-rays to detect cavities between your teeth.
The dentist near you performing the exams uses digital x-rays to comprehensively assess your oral health and diagnose problems that are not visible to the naked eye. For example, they try to notice tooth decay, abscesses, cysts, impacted teeth, or bone loss. Assessing these problems early and addressing them prevents or reduces the need for costly treatments later.
After your dental exam, the hygienist performs a dental cleaning to remove plaque and tartar buildup on your teeth and below the gum line. Plaque and tartar are the leading causes of gum disease resulting in loss of teeth and jawbone loss. They also polish your teeth to remove any surface stains impacting your smile. In addition, you receive fluoride treatments for help in your fight against cavities for several months after the cleaning.
The Importance of Dental Exams
There are several benefits to dental exams every six months, including:
The primary benefit of dental exams is treating gum disease early. Plaque and tartar buildup can have devastating consequences on your teeth and gums if left on them for too long. Gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, is a reversible condition if detected early. The exam also helps dentists to identify minor oral health problems quickly. For example, if they see cavities on your teeth, they provide fillings for treating it before the cavity expands to take over the entire tooth when you may require a dental crown for protection.
Dental exams from dentist 94806 also help detect oral cancer when it is easily treatable and delivers the best outcomes. The dental team at this facility is trained to look for signs of oral cancer like abnormal precancerous lesions, red-and-white patches, et cetera using a special light in your mouth looking for dead issues caused by tumors. Dental exams enable dentists are to rectify problems like teeth grinding and clenching, causing damages and wear to your teeth. In addition, they provide night guards to protect your teeth when sleeping by keeping them apart.
You receive education on proper oral hygiene techniques because brushing and flossing are essential to your at-home dental hygiene regimen. When you don’t remove plaque from teeth, you are contributing to a problem requiring expensive treatments from dentists. Your jaws and bite are also examined for abnormalities because a situation like temporomandibular joint disorder leads to chronic headaches and ear pain. If you are affected by a TMJ disorder, the dentist recommends night guards, bite adjustment, cortisone injections, or orthodontics to relieve your pain.
During six-monthly dental exams, you also receive a dental cleaning to uncover hygiene-related problems. Dentists recommend dental exams and cleanings at regular intervals to keep your teeth and gums, besides your overall health, in optimal condition. When you leave oral health issues untreated, it undoubtedly impacts your overall health. For example, a problem like gum disease can spread to other parts of your body, creating various complications like cardiovascular issues, diabetes, strokes, respiratory disease, and cancer. These conditions require treatments from different medical professionals making you waste time and money on treatments you can avoid by getting six-monthly dental exams and cleanings at affordable prices from the San Pablo dentist.
Dental exams and cleanings are not fearsome and are merely an examination of your mouth, teeth, and gums. It is an excellent opportunity for you to learn how to keep your dental hygiene regimen appropriate for your oral and overall health needs.