Importance of Dental Visits This Mothers Day

It is not the first time you will hear dentists talk about the importance of dental examinations. Dr. Mark Summerford has made it his primary concern to ensure that every patient is well aware of the need for regular oral visits. Even then, it is very sad that many people still do not take dental appointments seriously. On the contrary, they only consider them useful when they have dental problems that require to be treated.

What Are Dental Visits?

They are important sessions with a dental expert, where you discuss the health of your oral cavity. Dental visits encompass different aspects of oral health, including dental examinations or dental checkups, and dental cleanings. These two aspects of dental visits add up to achieve excellent oral health.

When you visit a dentist, it shouldn’t be for the sole reason that you have an underlying problem with your mouth. Dental visits are a necessary part of your oral health. They are an opportune time for you and your dentist to exchange information about your oral health.

What Things are Included in A Dental Exam?

When you come to Central Park Dental Care for an oral visit, your main concern should be to allow your dentist as much freedom to carry on their tasks. The role of a dental exam is to ensure that the dentist properly examines your oral cavity, and detect any problems that may be wrong with your mouth.

The dental exams entail a couple of things. Some of the things conducted during this period include the following:

• Cavity check – cavities are the most common causes of oral damage. The development of a cavity in any of your teeth results in other oral problems, ranging from tooth discoloration to dental decay. If allowed to progress, cavities manifest into severe oral infections that could spread throughout your dentition. During a dental exam, the dentist will check your mouth for any cavities, and come up with a treatment plan before the cavities progress.

• X-rays – they are important to determine the structure of your teeth beyond what can be seen with bare eyes. X-rays are significant for checking the health of your jawbone beneath the gum tissue. They can help identify any bone fractures, infections and development issues.

• Plaque check – plaque is a sticky substance that features a combination of food residues, saliva, bacteria, and acids. Plaque forms on the surfaces of your teeth, if you are not keen on oral hygiene practices. The plaque is the beginning of many oral problems, including bad odor, tartar, gum disease, tooth discoloration, tooth loss, enamel thinning, dental decay, to mention a few. When the plaque sits in your teeth for too long, it develops into tartar. Tartar is much harder to get rid of, as compared to plaque. The dentist will check for traces of plaque and tartar.

• Early detection and diagnosis – the state of your oral health may seem fine to you, for as long as you do not have any signs of infection. However, it is not enough information to go by, if your goal is achieving oral health excellence. Dental exams are an opportune time for the dentist to detect any underlying health problems early enough.

• Exam of parts of your mouth – the dentist goes on to check different parts of your mouth. This includes the tongue, throat, gums, floor, and roof of the mouth.

What Do Dental Cleanings Entail?

After a dental exam, your dentist will go ahead with the next step of the dental visit, which is dental cleanings. Professional oral cleanings involve cleaning of your oral cavity. This exercise can be done by a dentist, although it is commonly performed by a dental hygienist. Steps involved in dental cleaning include the following:

• Teeth scaling – this is the process of removing tartar and plaque from teeth. The dental expert uses special tools to get rid of plaque and tartar on teeth.

• Teeth brushing – this is nothing like how you do it at home. A dental hygienist uses a super-charged electric toothbrush to clean your teeth.

• Dental flossing – it is also different from the usual way of doing it at home. It is useful for removing any remaining leftovers of plaque in between your teeth.