The X-Rays
During your 6 month visit at the dentist, x-rays are taken of your teeth and jawbone. This allows your dentist and you to see what is going on in your mouth beneath the surface. Having some discomfort in the back of your mouth? Your wisdom teeth may be growing against the direction of the rest of your teeth. Or maybe you’ve noticed some pain in a part of your mouth you cannot see. You may have a cyst on your gums! These x-rays are a major component during a visit for discovering information about the health of your teeth, gums and bones.
Teeth Cleaning
You may pride yourself on your dental hygiene. Perfected the brushing, flossing, mouthwash trifecta. Maybe you are a sole brusher and choose to skip the flossing and mouthwash. Even if you are confident you have mastered your mouth cleaning, believe it or not, you may still have plaque buildup. The fact is, there are just some parts of the mouth that are difficult to clean completely, especially if you choose to toss the floss. When plaque builds up and eventually solidifies, it’s called tartar and it is not easy to clean without the professional help of your dentist. Tartar can erode teeth or create holes in them, which is how cavities are formed. Teeth cleaning is a necessary part of your biannual dental visit.
Examination/Diagnosis
Speaking of the evil tartar, when tartar is left to its wicked devices in your mouth, it can cause infection creating more than just cavities. When tartar buildup starts eroding your teeth, it also affects your gums. This will cause them to erode as well or recede which exposes your teeth and the root to possible infection, even tooth loss! Identifying these symptoms as gingivitis, or perhaps something else, your dentist can treat your diagnosis.
Checking for any signs of oral cancer or disease is part of the examination procedure as well. If you are staying on top of your semi-annual dentist visits, there will be greater opportunity for you to detect and treat the early stages of oral cancer. Staying ahead of the game is as simple as getting routine dental checkups.
These are some of the main reasons why it is recommended to visit the dentist twice a year. All components of your mouth, teeth, gums, tongue, jaw, etc. are vital to the health of your body overall. Inspecting your mouth for infections and treating them is service you shouldn’t deny yourself in 2018, or ever! Not to mention during this visit, you receive a cleaning that can help to prevent any possible infections. Feeling motivated to award yourself to some self-care? Call the Dental office of Beautiful Smiles of Long Island for your biannual dental checkup today!
