How Often Do You Visit a Dentist for Dental Exam and Cleanings?

The thought of visiting a dentist for a dental exam and cleaning is least on your mind because you think you maintain your dental health optimally and don’t need exams and cleanings frequently as dentists recommend. Therefore, you make every effort to avoid visiting the dentist’s office near you, claiming hectic schedules the lack of time or money to put off the visits.

Are you aware dental exams and cleanings are essential every six months or at least a year to prevent unwanted complications that might send you to the emergency dentist in winter Springs seeking treatments for infections developing in your mouth unknowingly? If you aren’t, you must adhere to the advice of the American Dental Association to receive this prophylactic measure every six months or as recommended by your dentist without exceptions.

Why Do You Need Dental Exam and Cleanings?

Dental exams and cleanings are a preventive measure to ensure you don’t develop issues like tooth decay or gum disease besides oral cancer in your mouth. The prophylactic measure requires merely an hour but gives you peace of mind knowing your mouth and overall health are in optimal condition. Your dentist may recommend an exam and cleaning every six months or a year, depending on your oral health. If you are affected by issues like gingivitis a gum infection, you need more frequent cleanings to halt its progress into a severe condition.

Plaque constantly develops on your teeth and hardens into tartar within 48 hours. Hardening tartar on your teeth and below the gum line is the leading cause of gingivitis, which results in tooth loss unless treated promptly. Plaque is also responsible for tooth decay which causes cavities in your teeth that require fillings promptly. Leaving the conditions untreated makes you prone to receiving treatments like root canals and tooth extraction to leave you with a toothless grin.

When you schedule an appointment for a dental exam and cleanings in winter Springs, FL, you also receive screening for oral cancer. The screening is essential if you consume excessive alcohol, smoke, are exposed to sunlight, and are infected by HPV. The screening doesn’t indicate you have oral cancer but is merely a measure to ensure you don’t.

Why Are Cleanings Essential When You Maintain Proper Oral Hygiene?

Dental cleanings from the dentist near you are essential because regardless of how well you brush and floss your teeth, eliminating dental plaque is practically impossible. Specks of plaque remain between your teeth to further accumulate and cause tooth decay and gum disease. In addition, the toothbrush you use and dental floss cannot reach every part of your mouth, making it necessary for you to receive help from a dental professional to clean your teeth and gums.

The dental cleaning procedure is not scary nor causes any discomfort. Tiny instruments like mirrors and scalers are used by dentists to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth and below the gum line by giving you a deep clean ensuring they eliminate the chances of tooth decay or gum disease developing in your mouth. The cleaning doesn’t end with plaque and tartar removal because dentists also polish your teeth with gritty toothpaste to make your teeth appear brighter than they are. The polishing also helps remove any excess plaque between your teeth and freshens your breath.

After polishing your teeth, the dentist flosses them getting deep between your teeth can identify trouble spots that might bleed during the flossing. After that, they request you to rinse your mouth and receive fluoride treatment that helps battle against cavities for several months after the dental visit.

Finally, the dentist discusses any changes to your oral hygiene regimen if required and advises about dietary habits you must incorporate to ensure you keep your dental health in optimal condition.

Dr. Robert R Burks, DDS, recommends dental exams and cleanings for everyone, including children, every six months or at least a year depending on their dental hygiene regimen. If you are at high risk of dental infections, you require more frequent dental visits. Fortunately, if the reverse is true, you benefit from yearly visits and stay free from dental or overall health infections that may require treatments from different medical professionals.

If you haven’t scheduled an appointment for a dental exam and cleaning, we suggest you do so right away by calling Dr. Robert R Burks to receive the dental prophylaxis without delay.