The Importance of Regular Dental Visits

The American Dental Association recommends visiting the dentist twice a year for a checkup and hygienic cleanings. A regular dental visit consists of two stages.

The first stage is a routine cleaning, where your hygienist cleans your teeth. They use special tools to remove tartar that has built up on your teeth. Tartar is essentially plaque that has built up over time and hardened. While regular brushing and flossing can remove a lot of plaque, you cannot remove tartar on your own at home.

Tartar that is allowed to build up for too long can cause the gums to pull back from the teeth. This puts you at a serious risk in developing periodontal disease, which is also known as gum disease. The hygienist will then use floss to clean the spaces between your teeth. During the cleaning, your hygienist will also look for any possible signs of tooth decay.

After the tartar has been removed, the hygienist will polish your teeth with a mildly abrasive paste. Polishing helps remove mild surface stains.

The dentist will then perform a checkup, which consists of checking your teeth for signs of decay as well as inspecting your gums for signs of gum disease. The dentist will also check your tongue, throat, face, head and neck, looking for any signs of infection, swelling and oral cancer.

Sometimes X-rays will be taken in order to assess other factors, including tooth and bone health.

This is also a good opportunity for you ask questions about your oral hygiene regimen or treatment options.

Regular dental visits are an important part of keeping your entire mouth healthy. If you are due for a regular dental visit, please call our office at 812-853-3313 to schedule an appointment. We look forward to seeing you again.