Why Regular Dental Exams & Cleanings are Essential?
Your dentist suggests you brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, floss at least once, and refrain from having sugary and starchy foods to keep your dental health in optimal condition. You find the suggestions acceptable, and you adhere to your dentist’s instructions diligently. One morning you receive a text message on your cell phone with information that you are due for your biannual dental exam and cleaning. You schedule an appointment with the dentist near you to inquire why regular dental exams and cleanings are essential.
You visit the dentist explaining that you follow all your dentist’s instructions diligently and think your dental health is in excellent condition. However, the dentist surprises you with information that you may have developed infections in your mouth despite the oral hygiene regimen you follow. The mention of diseases in your mouth makes you think it is time you scheduled a dental exam near you to determine how or why the infections developed despite following your dentist’s instructions.
Why Biannual Dental Exams and Cleanings Are Essential?
Following your dentist’s instructions is an excellent technique to prevent infections from sneaking into your mouth. However, you can’t prevent all the bacteria in your mouth that surely and silently works hard to ensure it creates problems with your oral health. At the same time, your lifestyle habits may also contribute to infections or diseases best dealt with by early detection.
Even if you get into the habit of brushing after every meal and following the instructions from the dentists in la Marque, TX, you find it challenging to remove every speck of plaque on your teeth and between them. A scrap of plaque leftover has bacteria feeding on food particles trapped in the difficult-to-reach molars. As a result, plaque constantly develops in your mouth regardless of how often you brush. The bacteria deposit acids on your teeth to erode your tooth enamel and create cavities. What begins as a micro-cavity quickly develops into a severe infection needing expensive treatments from dentists.
Plaque deposits on your teeth harden into tartar within 48 hours. Tartar is challenging to remove with just brushing and flossing and needs help from a dental professional. Hardened tartar is the leading cause of gum disease responsible for tooth loss, gum recession, and other health conditions. Regular dental exams and cleanings from your dentist are essential for preventing these infections from developing.
What Happens if You Ignore Your Dentist’s Recommendations?
You have the freedom to ignore the dentist’s instructions if you want. However, you must prepare yourself to become victimized by the bacteria in your mouth, making you vulnerable to painful and expensive treatments from your dentist requiring several appointments at regular intervals.
For example, an untreated cavity can quickly progress to a dental pulp infection requiring the fearsome root canal therapy in one or multiple appointments with the dentist. The bacteria in the micro-cavity would have reached your dental pulp to cause severe pain and sensitivity in the tooth, making your life miserable. If you decide to ignore root canal therapy by enduring excruciating pain, the eventual action is to extract the decaying tooth and get expensive tooth replacement solutions.
Similarly, gum disease, an entirely preventable condition, also exposes you to untold miseries. If the disease is left to progress to advanced periodontal disease, you will need more frequent visits to your dentist to maintain the disease.
Expectations During Dental Exams and Cleanings
Dental exams and cleanings are preventive procedures. They help you avoid expensive treatments and repeated visits to your dentist by detecting issues in your mouth early and providing prompt treatment. For example, cavities, when detected early and filled, prevent the need for root canals. Similarly, gum disease, when detected early, is reversible with deep cleanings and proper dental hygiene.
During your exam and cleaning, expect the dentist to examine your mouth comprehensively, checking for infections like cavities and gum disease. The dentist will also check your entire oral cavity for signs of oral cancer. The dentist may take X-rays to detect cavities between your teeth. Your teeth are also cleaned to remove hardened tartar and prevent the onset of gum disease. The dentist completes the entire procedure in under an hour to leave you with minty fresh results and peace of mind knowing that you don’t have any issues in your mouth.
Dental exams and cleanings are essential for everyone, including children and seniors, as a preventive care measure. In addition, the procedure helps you to avoid unnecessary overall health complications that emanate from the mouth.
Are you searching for Dental Exams and Cleanings in La Marque, TX, you can call or book an appointment with South Star Dental for hassle-free dental care treatments.