The recommends people see the dentist for a teeth cleaning and routine oral exam every six months.
A teeth cleaning and oral exam can help protect your smile (and your wallet) by catching oral health issues before they become a larger problem. Depending on your oral health, your Wyoming, MI dentist may recommend getting your teeth checked more often so you can maintain . To learn more about how a teeth cleaning and oral exam could benefit you, keep reading.;
Oral Exams and Teeth Cleanings Could Protect Your Overall Health
Did you know that your Grand Rapids dentist is able to detect the beginning signs of diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, eating disorders, and other health conditions?
This is because the health of your smile is connected to your overall health.
For example, diabetes can lower your body’s resistance to infection, which puts you at higher risk for gum diseases like or even periodontitis.
Your dentist is also able to detect the early signs of oral cancer before it spreads to the rest of your body. Your survival rate for oral cancer increases when your dentist does routine oral cancer screenings, rather than putting things off.
Teeth Cleanings Help Remove Dental Plaque and Tartar
Even with regular , there can still be dental plaque hidden in between teeth and along the gum line.
Dental plaque forms from eating foods. Leftover particles break down with saliva and form into dental plaque. Even if you brush your teeth after eating, dental plaque is pretty much unavoidable. Plaque that sits for long periods of time hardens into tartar, and can’t be removed with a normal toothbrush.
DO NOT try to brush away tartar by brushing harder or scraping your teeth at home. Both of these methods can severely damage your enamel.
Thankfully, a dental hygienist can remove hidden plaque and even tartar so you can avoid and gum disease.
Tartar can only be removed by a dental professional, which is why it’s important to schedule a teeth cleaning every six months.
Oral Cancer Screenings and Teeth Cleanings Help Care for Aging Teeth
Your family dentist can help you care for your teeth while you age. Just because you reach a certain age doesn’t mean you have to accept wearing dentures, or even discolored or damaged teeth.
Many people are able to keep their original teeth by seeing their dentist every six months for an oral exam and teeth cleaning, and as your dentists, we can help keep your original teeth looking healthy.
Alternative cosmetic options are also available at River Ridge Dental, such as porcelain veneers or a teeth whitening treatment.
As we age, your , drinking wine, and just general food. A teeth whitening treatment or porcelain veneers can help you get your teeth back to a normal white.
Oral Cancer Screenings and Teeth Cleanings Help Treat Cavities Sooner
One thing that is not uncommon is that, as we age, the nerves in our teeth shrink. Unfortunately, this also means that we may not be able to detect the pain from a cavity as quickly as when we were younger. Cavities can infect a tooth and result in an abscess or greater infection down the road.
Tooth extractions are never fun, and we’d like to help you prevent them. During your next appointment, your dentist can take x-rays of your smile so that small cavities can be treated as soon as possible.
Your dentist will be able to during your appointment so that you can maintain a healthy smile.
If you have a toothache, be sure to schedule an appointment with your dentist. A painful tooth could be a sign of a cavity or gum infection. Left untreated, the infection from a cavity can even enter the bloodstream.
Avoid Expensive Dental Treatments by Getting an Oral Exam and Teeth Cleaning
Having a small cavity filled is less expensive than an emergency root canal or tooth extraction. If you wait until you are in a lot of pain before seeing the dentist, it may be too late to save the tooth.
The dental restoration needed later on may also be more expensive than if you had just come in for a filling.
For example, reports that a porcelain crown can cost anywhere between $800 and $3,000, whereas a composite filling may only cost you around $150.
It’s important to remember that the cost of dental procedures depends on your region, dentist, insurance policy, and more.
Need to Schedule a Teeth Cleaning and Oral Exam Near You?
Dr. Jeff Helmus DDS at River Ridge Family & Cosmetic Dentistry is dedicated to helping patients maintain healthy beautiful smiles. If you are interested in setting up an appointment with our Wyoming, MI dentist for a professional teeth cleaning, or an oral exam, feel free to request a dental appointment online or give us a call at (616) 538-7320.