Regular teeth cleanings and dental exams are foundational to a proper oral health routine. The good news is that you’ll likely never find an easier way to help ensure your long-term dental health!
By scheduling and attending regular (twice per year) dental exams and cleanings, you not only ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy and clean at the moment but also provide your dentist with an all-important chance to identify and preemptively address minor issues before they become big problems.
Today we’re going back to basics and discussing why regular dental exams and cleaning are essential to your oral health!
What to Expect from a Routine Dental Exam
Routine dental exams are vital to maintaining oral hygiene and dental health. During these appointments, you can expect the following:
- An examination of your head and neck ensures that your jawbone, lymph nodes, and other supporting structures are healthy.
- Full-mouth x-rays give your dentist a comprehensive look at the state of your dental health.
- An examination of your mouth to check for cavities, loose or broken fillings, cracked teeth, and warning signs of serious issues like gum disease or oral cancer.
- A full cleaning, during which your dentist removes plaque and tartar from your gums and around your teeth and applies a treatment to the surfaces of your teeth to prevent future buildup.
After your cleaning, your dentist will discuss with you any potential issues that they found, suggest treatment options, and identify possible improvements to your at-home dental care routine.
The Importance of Regular Dental Exams and Teeth Cleanings
Regular cleanings and exams are among the most important measures that you can take to maintain not only your oral health but also protect your overall health.
This is because regular dental exams give your dentist a chance to identify and quickly and painlessly address minor issues that could lead to cavities, gum disease, tooth decay, or infections that could spread elsewhere in your body, as well as to confirm the health of the bones and muscles in your jaw and check for potential signs of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome and oral cancer.
Preventive and General Dentistry in Spring Branch, TX
If you’re in the Spring Branch area and looking to ensure both the short- and long-term health of your teeth, gums, and all of their supporting structures, contact dentist Dr. Juan Echeverri and the Echeverri Dental to schedule your next dental exam and cleaning!