You pride yourself on having excellent oral hygiene constantly brushing and flossing your teeth to maintain a healthy mouth. Given your good dental hygiene practices, you might question whether you should frequently see your dentist for dental checkups near you. Even if you take good care of your teeth and gums at home, visiting your dentist regularly is crucial since they are adequately trained to look for issues you might not notice or feel.
The fact is that many dental issues, such as cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer, don’t manifest themselves or cause discomfort until they are further advanced, necessitating more thorough treatment and aftercare.
How Frequently Should You Visit a Dentist?
Seeking your dentist every six months for a cleaning and oral exam is recommended. Two checkups are typically covered by dental insurance, and this frequency enables dental specialists to identify any issues while they’re still minor and manageable to treat.
Typically, your dentist will make recommendations regarding how frequently you should schedule a checkup and cleaning depending on the current state of your oral health and the severity of issues you might be facing.
What Can You Expect From Dental Checkups?
An average dental examination lasts one hour or less. Your dentist and dental hygienist can assess your oral health at this session and suggest any necessary care and at-home maintenance.
Although each dentist office establishes its protocols for dental checkups in NW Calgary, you can often anticipate the following at your every six-month appointment:
X-Rays
To give the dentist time to assess them before inspecting your mouth, the hygienist will take any needed X-rays at the beginning of the visit if you need them.
Polishing and Cleaning
There are numerous benefits to getting a dental cleaning. Scalers and other dental instruments that delicately remove plaque and tartar from your teeth and your gum line will be used by the hygienist to clean your teeth. They will then use a paste to polish your teeth and floss between them.
When brushing your teeth, your dentist in NW Calgary could point out specific places that need extra care. They can also provide you with instructions on how to brush and floss your teeth properly.
Screening For Oral Cancer
Your dentist might perform an oral cancer screening and then look at your teeth and gums. It entails looking for any indications of cancer on your palate, tongue, neck, inside of your cheeks, and other areas of your oral cavity. Additionally, they will feel your throat and jaw from the outside to check for any anomalies.
Since they are more likely to find it than another medical professional, your dentist is mostly the first line of defence when treating oral cancer. It is a factor in the significance of scheduling routine dental exams. Because oral cancer can increase quickly, early detection is essential for successful treatment.
Locating Cavities
The next step is for your dentist to check your teeth for decay, cracks, chips, and other damage that could need to be fixed. They receive assistance from the dental hygienist, who records teeth requiring care.
Assessing Existing Dental Work
A dentist checks the state of fillings and other dental work during an examination because they don’t last indefinitely. If the present filling, crown, or bridge no longer keeps a tooth strong and healthy, our dentist near you will suggest a new one.
Evaluation of Gum Health
Additionally, your dentist will examine your gums to look for any indications of gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, or periodontitis, the latter stage. They will look for pockets around each tooth where the gums have separated from the tooth due to the buildup of bacteria and plaque below the gum line.
Regular dental cleanings and good at-home oral hygiene help prevent and treat gingivitis, but periodontitis necessitates specialist care from a periodontist.
Contact Our Experienced Dentist Today!
No matter how you feel about your general dental health, visiting the dentist frequently is crucial. Although some research indicates that people with a low risk for disease may extend their lifespan to 18–24 months, it is reasonable to aim for an annual dental checkup.
For more information on how your dentist determines your risk for dental disease and their advice for your unique exam and cleaning regimen, contact Valley Ridge Dental Centre.