A dental exam allows you to check your teeth and gums regularly. You should visit the dentist frequently, whether you’re a child or an adult. Regular dental visits are vital for maintaining a healthy smile. A dentist or a dental hygienist typically conducts a dental exam. A dentist near you will be able to address your oral care needs after exams.
How Often Should One Have a Dental Exam?
Adults and kids should see a dentist for mouth inspections every six months. The twice-a-year exams are crucial in picking up any dental issues that may be emerging and having them resolved before they get worse. You shouldn’t skip those routine exams at a dental office, even with a healthy mouth.
For patients with oral issues such as gum infection or periodontitis, a dentist may advise them to come in for dental exams and cleanings in Peabody, MA, more often. You may be asked to see the dentist every 3 to 4 months for oral checks. This is particularly because the damaging bacteria in the mouth reach the most destructive phase after three months of resurgence. If it is not controlled at this point, it can easily overwhelm your oral health and cause serious consequences. Periodontitis, a deadly gum ailment, can be avoided with frequent exams. Periodontitis can contribute to tooth loss.
A baby’s first trip to a dentist should be done within 12 months of age or six months following the first tooth eruption. After that, take your youngster to the dentist every six months or as the dental professional recommends. More frequent exams may be advised if the dentist sees a problem with your child’s tooth development or another issue with oral health.
What Happens During a Dental Exam?
Cavities are indicated by the softening of enamel and dentin, which dentists can detect by checking between and behind your teeth with a metal probe mounted with an angled mirror. The tooth’s enamel, dentin, and cementum layers protect the pulp in the tooth’s center. During a routine dental visit, sores, swelling, and other indicators of gum disease are all checked.
A dentist will also examine the periodontal pockets. If these pockets have a depth larger than three millimeters, it may suggest the existence of gum disease or periodontitis. When you see the dentist near you, the professional feels your jawbones as you bite down, helping assess your jaw alignment and joint function.
Here, the dentist will look for tooth wear and other signs indicating whether you’re clenching or grinding your teeth. Using x-rays, the dentist can discover oral health concerns that may remain invisible.
The dentist will even do an oral cancer screening. This illness can be identified by lesions, sores, ulcers, abnormal bleeding, and enlarged or obstructed salivary glands.
The American Cancer Society says that mouth cancer affects roughly 51,500 Americans yearly. Early detection improves the prognosis of cancer patients.
The Importance of Routine Dental Exams
Receiving dental checkups every six months or as the dentist suggests, provides numerous advantages. The immediate one is that a patient receiving routine checks can prevent potential dental problems from arising in the future. Those that have developed are caught early on before they worsen and take hold of a patient’s oral health. This way, a patient can prevent frequent and costly restorative procedures or the possibility of having irreversible damage. Other benefits of regular exams include:
Prevent Decay and Periodontal Disease
Your home dental care program must completely remove plaque and dangerous bacteria. Plaque and bacteria will eat away at your gums and enamel if allowed to accumulate. These elements are responsible for most occurrences of tooth decay and gum disease, which, if not checked, result in the need for restorative procedures such as dental fillings and periodontal treatments.
Regular dental exams and cleanings in Peabody, MA, allow dentists to detect the first signs of these issues and treat them before they worsen. Dentists can use fluoride treatment to preserve tooth enamel from further degradation.
Overall Healthcare Benefits
A visit to the dentist twice a year is related to a longer life expectancy. In addition to tooth loss, gum disease, and cavities, the American Oral Association warns that untreated dental conditions can lead to major health issues such as heart disease and diabetes.
Visit a dental office for cleanings and exams today. The dentist will do regular teeth cleaning after inspecting the mouth. This way, you can stop and manage oral health conditions before they cause serious, irreversible damage or cost you heavily in dental restorative procedures.