Why Are Regular Dental Exams Essential?

You have a set of pearly whites in your mouth, allowing you to express yourself by smiling beautifully whenever you meet your friends or family members. Do you think your pearly whites are not susceptible to any problems during your everyday activities? Can you identify any issues in your mouth without professional help? Suppose you cannot identify oral issues and are unsure about whether your pearly whites are in excellent condition or not. Wouldn’t you benefit from seeking help from the dentist near you and having them examined?

You may think a dental exam is unnecessary as you brush and floss your teeth, as recommended by the dental fraternity. However, are you aware that a sticky film plaque is continuously building up on your teeth even after brushing diligently twice a day? Some parts of your mouth are difficult to reach with your toothbrush and even dental floss. The difficult to get areas are perfect for plaque to hide and accumulate.

Plaque is a combination of bacteria in food particles in your mouth that continuously multiplies any hardens on your teeth, eventually converting itself to calculus. When you allow plaque buildup and calculus to remain on your teeth, you become susceptible to issues like gum disease and tooth loss. Now that you understand why dental exams are essential, we assume you will contact the dentist in Longmont for an appointment for a dental exam and cleaning.

What Happens During Dental Exams?

During dental exams, the Longmont dentist or hygienist will physically evaluate your entire oral health. They will inquire into any problems you encounter and provide advice on nutritional habits besides avoiding sugary and starchy foods, prime culprits for plaque and bacterial development in your mouth.

The dentist also performs oral cancer screening as a preventive measure even though you think you do not need it. Oral cancer screening is merely to detect cancers or precancerous lesions in your mouth early when they can be successfully treated. Oral cancer screening involves checking your throat, face, head besides a careful examination of your tongue.

What Happens after Dental Exam?

After the dental exam, the dental hygienist from Longmont family dental takes over and begins cleaning your teeth. You may think the cleaning is unnecessary as you brush your teeth twice a day and floss them. However, the hygienist may surprise you by using small instruments to guide them to remove plaque and tartar deposits from your teeth and below the gum line.

You may find it challenging to believe the amount of grime accumulated in your mouth merely because you neglected dental exams. However, if it has been over a year since the last appointment, you will likely hear scraping sounds during the cleaning process. The scraping sound results from the scaling of your teeth to remove tartar deposits.

Just as you prepare to raise yourself from the dentist’s chair, the hygienist brings around an electric toothbrush with gritty toothpaste to polish your teeth. The polishing helps to remove any surface stains remaining on your teeth to make them appear gleaming as you want them to be.

After the polishing, the hygienist gets between your teeth using dental floss to locate any trouble spots between your gums that bleed easily. If any trouble spots are noticed, the hygienist calls the dentist over to evaluate the condition and provide any further advice you need.

The final part of the cleaning process includes fluoride treatment to strengthen your enamel and keep it battling against cavities for months.

How Often Must You Schedule Dental Exams?

Everyone, including children, must have dental exams and cleanings every six months. If you are vulnerable to dental problems like cavities and tooth decay or gum disease, dentists recommend frequent appointments and suggest the timeline for them.

The American Dental Association recommends dental exams every six months or at intervals determined by the dentist. Regular dental exams are essential because they help to keep your teeth and gums healthy. It would be best if you also cared for your oral health as recommended by the dental professional. Besides brushing twice and flossing at least once, you need to avoid foods and beverages beneficial for plaque and tartar buildup. Avoiding habits like having pigmented foods that discolor teeth, choosing instead nutritional foods that provide vitamins needed by your teeth help to battle most dental issues. Remember, you require help from a dental professional to identify or detect any problems in your mouth. You succeed in your goal only when you schedule regular dental exams with your dentist.