In addition to performing diligent oral care at home, you should see your dentist every six months for a routine check up. Likewise, studies have proven a link between gum disease and health conditions such as diabetes, dementia and cardiovascular disease, so it pays to undergo routine cleaning to spot gum disease in the early stages when it is reversible so that you can reduce your risk of other health problems.
At your first office visit for a comprehensive oral exam, your dentist will review your medical history with you. Knowing if you’ve been diagnosed with certain medical conditions can help your dentist determine if you’re susceptible to oral health problems or may experience a reaction to a particular dental treatment or anesthetic. The medications you take can also make you more vulnerable to developing cavities or periodontal disease. At each six-month checkup, be sure to let your dentist know if you have been diagnosed with a new health condition or changed your medication regimen to ensure that you continue to receive dental care tailored to your unique needs. Also, do not be afraid to tell your dentist if you have experienced anxiety over dental visits in the past so that he or she can present you with different options for making you comfortable during exams and treatments.
If you have not undergone dental X-rays for some time, your dentist will obtain images of your teeth and jaws at your first appointment and yearly thereafter. Dental X-rays can help detect cavities, tooth eruption issues or bone loss in the jaws.
A visual inspection can help your dentist spot most oral health problems, including the following:
Cavities: Using a tool to gently probe all tooth surfaces, your dentist can detect soft spots that may indicate decay.
Periodontal Disease: Like cavities, periodontal disease is detected by using a dental probe. Your dentist will use this instrument to measure the spaces between your gums and teeth to determine if gum disease is present.
Oral Cancer: Affecting the lips, throat, head, neck, and soft tissues inside the mouth, oral cancer has a high cure rate if caught early. Your dentist will visually inspect these areas for unusual sores, lumps, or rough patches and palpate them to determine if swelling or tenderness is present.
Jaw and Bite Issues: A misaligned bite can cause a host of problems with your teeth and jaws, including pain the jaw joints and teeth grinding. Stress can also cause you to grind your teeth and lead to jaw problems such as TMJ disorder. At your first comprehensive oral exam, your dentist will evaluate the way your teeth meet, check your jaws for signs of stress and inspect your teeth for damage caused by grinding to determine if further treatment is necessary.
A professional teeth cleaning is recommended at least every six months, so you may want to combine your checkup and cleaning appointments for the sake of convenience. Your hygienist will begin your cleaning by removing tartar buildup with an instrument called a scaler to help prevent gum disease. After scaling, your hygienist will polish your teeth with a paste that contains mild abrasives to remove plaque and surface stains, leaving your teeth smooth and less likely to collect oral bacteria. If indicated, you may also receive a fluoride treatment that helps remineralize your tooth enamel and reduce your risk of developing cavities.
As part of Sherwood Dental’s commitment to serving the community and providing great dental treatment, we also aim to provide positive dental experiences to our patients. We are now providing iTero® scans as part of your initial full dental check-up (time permitting) for new patients eighteen years and above, free of charge!
If you are an existing patient and over eighteen years of age, please contact us to know how to have an iTero® scan included at your next full check up!
Disclaimer: Invisalign®, the Invisalign logo, and iTero®, among others, are trademarks and/or service marks of Align Technology, Inc. or one of its subsidiaries or affiliated companies and may be registered in the U.S. and/or other countries. All rights reserved to their designated owners.
We’ve updated our procedures to include an iTero® scan for each new adult exam!
Learn More
