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What Do Dentists Check For During A Routine Dental Cleaning?
Posted on 12/19/2022 by Evan
You have been told that you should visit a dentist every six months, but you ask why? Ensuring regular dental cleanings is crucial for ensuring healthy gums and teeth. Although maintaining good hygiene habits can get rid of the bulk of debris, food, and plaque on the teeth, regular brushing and flossing at home aren't enough to ward off everything. A dentist can help ensure that what has been left after your regular at-home mouth cleaning is gotten rid of. This way, your teeth remain free of plaque and tartar. When you go for a routine checkup, a dentist will conduct a cleaning, which aims at doing the following.
Removing Plaque and Tartar
If plaque and tartar build-up in the mouth and remain unchecked, they can cause extensive damage. Plaque is the biofilm of bacteria that forms on the teeth' surfaces. The sticky film appears colorless at first, however, it quickly turns pale, yellow, or brown when it turns to tartar. Decay is caused by bacterial plaque. You may also have gum disease if you let bacteria plaque remain. Once tartar forms from plaque, it can only be gotten rid of by a dental professional. Usually, the crusty deposit tends to bond to the teeth where it traps stains and contributes to discoloration. In your routine checkups, a dentist will clean the teeth and remove the remaining plaque as well as the stubborn tartar that has built up.
Other Things that a Dentist Looks for
In addition to removing plaque and tartar, a dentist will look out for dental cavities. Also referred to as decay or caries, dental cavities are damaged areas of the hard enamel tooth surface. Tooth decay may arise from things like poor oral hygiene habits and consuming too much sugar. Not treated, cavities can enlarge and affect the inner parts of the tooth. You may experience pain and get an infection. Dentists can take X-rays to check for possible damage to the tooth's internal structure and signs of decay.
A dentist also checks for gum disease during the routine cleaning. Gum disease is highly preventable if you ensure proper oral hygiene. This serious gum infection is able to damage not only the gums but also the jawbone. You may suffer tooth loss if gum disease is not treated by a dentist.
Oral cancer is another thing that a dentist looks for when conducting routine cleanings. Oral cancer affects the cheeks, tongue, hard and soft palate, as well as the sinuses, floor of the mouth, and pharynx. Most dentists will make it a priority to check for oral cancer. A cancer screening process is conducted during routine cleanings. Find out more about routine cleanings are why they are important. Contact us today.
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You have been told that you should visit a dentist every six months, but you ask why? Ensuring regular dental cleanings is crucial for ensuring healthy gums and teeth. Although maintaining good hygiene habits can get rid of the bulk of debris, food, and plaque on the teeth, regular brushing and flossing at home aren't enough to ward off everything. A dentist can help ensure that what has been left after your regular at-home mouth cleaning is gotten rid of. This way, your teeth remain free of plaque and tartar. When you go for a routine checkup, a dentist will conduct a cleaning, which aims at doing the following.