Routine Dental Check ups

These are a few of the reasons why dental checkups are important:

1. Dental checkups prevent plaque, tartar, cavities and tooth decay

Even the most fastidious person can fail to clean the hard-to-reach places in their mouth. A good example is the back molars, which are notoriously hard to clean. That is why every person should see a dentist every six months.The dentist will examine the patient’s teeth to look for early signs of tooth decay. If the dentist finds small cavities or white spots on the teeth, they will start the patient on fluoride treatment to reverse the decay and treat larger cavities with dental fillings.

2. Routine dental visits keep gum disease at bay

For the most part, the early stages of gum disease have no symptoms. This makes it hard for a person to detect gum disease in their mouths. Luckily, dentists are trained to spot gum disease even when it tries to hide.

During a routine checkup, the dentist will make sure that the gums are firm. They will check for swelling, receding gums and deep gum pockets. If the dentist finds any of these worrying symptoms, they will treat the underlying cause.

3. Dentists use routine checkups to check for oral cancer

In addition to examining the teeth and the gums, a dentist will look for signs of oral cancer in their patient’s mouth. This is great because if oral cancer goes undetected, it can develop into a life-threatening illness.

4. Routine checkups can detect systemic health issues

Another part of dental checkups is the head and neck exam. The dentist will check the lymph nodes, neck and jaws for swelling, lumps, deformities and any other symptoms of illness. If a problem is found, the dentist will refer the patient to the appropriate medical professional.