Regular dental visits are important because they help to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
One should have a regular dental visit at least every 6 months or as recommended by your dental professional.During the dental check up, your dental professional will check your overall oral health for any trouble areas. During the cleaning, your dental professional will remove any plaque and tartar buildup and may polish your teeth.
There are 2 parts to a regular dental visit – check up, or examination and the cleaning, or oral prophylaxis.
Dental check up
At the dental check, the dentist will check for cavities. X-rays might be taken to detect cavities between your teeth. The exam will also include a check for plaque and tartar on your teeth. Plaque is a clear, sticky layer of bacteria. If it is not removed, it can harden and become tartar. One cannot remove tartar with brushing and flossing. If plaque and tartar build up on your teeth, they can cause oral diseases.
Next, your gums will be checked. This will be done with a special tool to measure the depth of the spaces between your teeth and gums. With healthy gums, the spaces are shallow. When people have gum disease, the spaces may become deeper.
The check-up should also include a careful examination of your tongue, throat, face, head, and neck. This is to look for any signs of trouble - swelling, redness, or possible signs of cancer.
Cleaning of teeth
Your teeth will also be cleaned at your visit. Brushing and flossing help clean the plaque from your teeth, but you can't remove tartar at home. During the cleaning, your dental professional will use special tools to remove tartar. This is called scaling.
After your teeth are scaled, they may be polished. In most cases, a gritty paste is used for this. It helps to remove any surface stains on your teeth. The final step is flossing. Your dental professional will use floss to make sure the areas between your teeth are clean.
Keeping Bad Habits in Check
There are many bad habits that can have a negative impact on your oral health, some of which you may not even realize are causing issues. Some of these habits include chewing ice, biting your nails, clenching your jaw, grinding your teeth, eating particularly sticky or hard sweets, brushing your teeth too hard, drinking coffee and red wine, and of course smoking.
When you go for regular dental checkups, your dentist can check for any oral damage caused by these or other habits which you may otherwise not have noticed. Being informed about specific destructive habits allows you to change or alter your lifestyle choice to prevent further damage. Visiting the dentist allows you to fix the damage that has already been done, and help your oral health be the best it can be.