Even if you take good care of your teeth and gums at home it’s still very important to schedule regular dental examinations and teeth cleaning with a professional dentist.
This will ensure you’re maintaining good dental hygiene and oral health practices and allows your dentist to identify any developments or changes to your teeth and gums.
Let’s look at some of the reasons why it’s so important to see your dentist regularly, and how proper cleans and check-ups can help you achieve healthy teeth for life.
Book a Regular Dental Examination Twice a Year
As well as taking positive steps to practice good oral health and hygiene at home, you should schedule a routine dental examination every 6 months with a professional dentist.
This allows your dentist to check your teeth thoroughly for any cavities, decay and plaque and tartar build-up which can lead to tooth disease. Your gums will also be checked, for signs of gingivitis or periodontal disease, which will need to be effectively treated.
Your dentist should also assess any changes to your mouth, jaw or tongue, to check for any signs of swelling or cancer.
X-rays may be recommended to diagnose problems otherwise unnoticed, such as damage to jawbones, impacted teeth, abscesses, cysts or tumours, and decay between the teeth. Look for a dentist who uses state-of-the-art digital X-rays, which emit virtually no radiation.
Have Your Teeth Professionally Cleaned by a Dentist
A professional clean by a qualified dentist is also recommended twice a year, to take care of any plaque build-up that you haven’t been able to address with home brushing and flossing.
Your dentist or dental hygienist will be able to provide a thorough clean of each tooth, paying attention to hard to reach places and any teeth that may need extra care. Special tools can be used to remove plaque and tartar from teeth, which is called ‘scaling’ – this is why a professional tooth cleaning is sometimes referred to as a ‘scale and clean’.
After scaling, your teeth will be polished with a special paste that removes stains from teeth. Each tooth will then be flossed thoroughly. Your dentist will also take the opportunity to explain better home habits that they think could help keep your teeth and gums healthier.
Once you’ve had a professional clean, your whole mouth will feel, look and smell so healthy and fresh that you’ll want to maintain that feeling with good dental care at home!
At Adelaide’s City Central Dental, you’ll receive oral hygiene instructions and patient education as part of your routine check-up, to ensure that you have all the right tools to keep your mouth as healthy as possible. Book in for a check-up or professional clean, and start working on achieving a strong, healthy smile for life.
