Keeping Your Smile Healthy: What to Expect During a Dental Exam
Keeping your smile healthy for a lifetime requires more than brushing and flossing. Regular dental exams are just as important as your daily oral hygiene routine. Dental exams play a key role in catching oral health problems at their earliest stages. If dental problems are found, general dentistry treatments can be used to restore oral health and keep your smile at its best. Fountain Valley dentist Andrew G. Mortensen offers this overview to help you understand what to expect during a dental exam.
What to Expect During a Dental Exam?
Regular dental exams are an important part of every oral hygiene routine. Routine dental exams should be done a minimum of once every six months. Depending on the needs of the patient, dental exams may be done more frequently.
During a routine dental exam, the teeth, gums, and mouth will be checked for any signs of health problems. The teeth are checked for decay, cracks, or other signs of damage. The gums are checked for gum disease, specifically bleeding gums and pockets between the gums and teeth. The jawbone and internal health of the teeth may be assessed with X-rays. The mouth may also be checked for signs of cancer or vitamin deficiencies.
Routine dental exams also include professional cleanings. This is vital to removing built-up plaque and mineralized tartar, especially in hard to clean areas. During the dental cleaning, special scraping tools and water picks are used to break away plaque and tartar. The gum line is thoroughly cleaned to prevent gum disease and ensure proper oral health. Finally, the teeth are polished to complete the cleaning.
Why Undergo Regular Dental Exams?
Despite how well you brush and floss, regular dental exams should not be skipped. Though brushing and flossing are important to maintaining a healthy smile, regular dental exams are necessary for catching damage or disease at the earliest stages. Dental exams can help your teeth last a lifetime. There are many reasons to undergo regular dental exams. Some of the most notable include:
- Maintaining a lifelong healthy smile: Routine dental exams are important to preventing dental damage as well as treating issues at their earliest stages. This helps ensure a healthy smile for life.
- Stopping dental damage in its tracks: Dental exams play an important role in stopping dental damage as soon as possible and before damage can become severe.
- Preventing damage from occurring: Not only can dental exams stop dental damage from advancing, routine exams can help prevent damage from occurring in the first place. By keeping the teeth and gums clean and healthy, regular dental exams are vital to oral health.
- Money saving: Routine dental exams can help you save money by stopping dental problems while they're minor and require minimal, less costly treatment.
Schedule Your Next Dental Exam
Regular dental exams are important for keeping your smile at its best. Don't wait any longer to start undergoing regular dental exams. Contact Dr. Mortensen today to schedule your next dental exam!