Has It Been Too Long Since You’ve Had a Dental Cleaning?

Visiting your dentist every six months for a dental cleaning and check-up may seem like just one more thing to add to your already lengthy to-do list. However, this is one priority that should never be overlooked. If it’s been far too long since you’ve had a dental cleaning, it’s time to understand why slacking on your oral health is a bad idea.

Here are just some of the reasons why a regular dental cleaning is so essential:

You don’t clean your teeth well enough.

You may brush and floss religiously every day. Your technique may be perfect and your toothbrush top-notch. However, it remains a fact that you cannot reach every bit of plaque and tartar in your mouth on your own. The grooves and pits of the teeth collect plaque, and the gum line is home to it too. Your Haymarket dentist has the tools and equipment to remove the gunk teeth that no toothbrush will ever be able to reach.

You can’t recognize a growing problem.

Sure, you know if something is wrong with your teeth. You can see stains or feel a loose tooth. But there are plenty of signs of oral health problems that aren’t obvious to the untrained eye. Your dentist is a specialist who knows when something isn’t right. X-rays can confirm any suspicions about tooth decay. Small cracks in the enamel could lead to big problems that only your dentist can see.

It’s better to figure out what’s wrong and have it treated early before it turns into a major oral health problem, like gum disease. Seeing your dentist regularly also creates a baseline for your personal oral health. When changes happen, they’ll be obvious, and that’s a good thing.

Your dentist checks more than just your teeth.

Part of your dental check-up includes an examination of your entire mouth, not just teeth and gums. Your dentist will look at your tongue, throat, palette, under your tongue, jaw joints, and even the lymph nodes. This brief but thorough exam is intended to look for signs of oral cancer and other problems that can affect more than just your teeth.

You’ll get the big picture at your Haymarket dentist’s office.

There is nothing that can compare with x-rays when it comes to getting a complete look at your oral health. Your dentist’s eyes on your teeth is essential, and the digital images of what’s going on inside your teeth is the final piece of a thorough exam. If everything looks ok on the surface, your dentist will get a more complete picture of your oral health thanks to annual x-rays.

Make Dental Cleanings a Priority

You don’t want to have oral health problems, but complications do arise, and that’s ok. The most important thing is to have a Haymarket dentist you trust and rely on to repair your teeth, treat your gums, and offer regular preventive care.

Contact Dr. Sina Reangber at LifeTime Smiles in Haymarket to make an appointment for your dental cleaning.