By now, you’ve probably learned that you should see your dentist twice a year for a cleaning and examination. But what is the true purpose of these visits? When you take good care of your smile at home, seeing the dentist often may seem unnecessary. While this may seem redundant, these visits are essential to maintaining your oral health because they can detect problems early. Today, your Prairie Village, KS, dentist is here with three reasons to come in for your checkup.
Read more: Three Reasons To Prioritize Dental CheckupsA Professional Cleaning Can Protect Your Teeth
During your checkup, your teeth will be thoroughly cleaned, and your smile will be examined. The cleaning involves removing plaque buildup from your pearly whites. This step helps prevent buildup from turning into decay, prevents gum disease, and can leave your breath feeling fresh. At home, you should be brushing and flossing twice a day. These steps help keep your smile safe from harmful bacteria, but plaque can still build up on the surface. It’s important that this is removed before it can start to wear away your enamel and form a cavity.
Biannual Examinations Can Spot Concerns Early
Checkups also allow for the early detection of oral health concerns. Many common problems like cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer can progress with very few symptoms. Your dentist may take X-rays or other images to get a closer look at your smile and look for signs that can occur. Gingivitis may start off as swollen, red, or bleeding gums. When caught early, it can be treated with ultrasonic scaling, and you can avoid the many complications of gum disease. Oral cancer is another concern for patients. If you have rough patches or changes in color around your mouth and tongue, your dentist can examine it and may refer you to a specialist for further testing. The sooner oral cancer is found, the higher your chances of recovery are.
Restorations Can Keep Your Smile Safe
Your dentist will take your checkup and examination into consideration when creating a treatment plan. Problems like decay or cavities can be treated with dental fillings. This protects your tooth from serious cavities and discomfort. Other problems like TMJ and bruxism can also be detected during your checkup. Your dentist may notice signs like excessive wear and tear of your teeth or a popping sound when you open your jaw. These symptoms can help diagnose the problem and a treatment can be planned. For many patients, an oral appliance can help relieve symptoms of bruxism.
Don’t Neglect Your Smile’s Health
As a general rule, you should visit your dentist biannually for a checkup. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Browne in Prairie Village, KS, call us today at 913-901-8585.
