Why It’s So Important To Visit The Dentist Twice A Year

We see a lot of patients who have waited too long in between dentist visits. By the time patients schedule appointments because they are in pain or something is not feeling right, dental treatments can be expensive and uncomfortable. So the key is prevention.

That’s why it is so important to get your teeth inspected for cavities and getting routine cleanings. Keeping up with regular cleanings can do wonders when it comes to keeping your teeth in good health. It’s also essential to have your gums checked regularly because gum disease is more common than most people think. 

Our dentist usually recommends that you visit us twice a year. This is because it usually takes cavities around that much time to develop. If your dentist can catch cavities before they get too serious, they can be filled, and you will not have to worry about a possible root canal or worse. Preventative dentistry goes a long way in saving you from going through pain or discomfort later.

What happens during routine visits?

As a general rule, there are two parts to a dental cleaning visit: the oral examination and the cleaning. During the exam, the dentist will check your teeth for cavities. In some cases, we may take x-rays to find cavities between the teeth. Dr. Wheatley will also look for issues like gum disease or plaque and tartar on the teeth. Besides cavities, the dentist looks for plaque and tartar, gum disease, and cancer indicators during your appointment.

Plaque and Tartar

Plaque on the teeth is nothing more than a clear, sticky layer of bacterial colonies. If this sticky substance isn’t removed, it will become hard and turn into tartar. Tartar doesn’t respond to brushing or flossing. Only a dentist can remove tartar from the teeth, and once this substance builds up on the teeth, the patient becomes susceptible to a variety of oral diseases.

Gum Disease

Our dentist will always check our patients for gum disease because healthy gums provide an essential foundation for healthy teeth. To check gum health, we use a tool that measures how deep the space is between your gums and teeth. Healthy gums have shallower spaces, but in people with gum disease, the space becomes deeper. Identifying gum disease earlier can make a big difference in preventing the development of more serious dental issues.

Cancers of the Tongue, Throat, and Neck

A thorough examination of the tongue, throat, face, neck, and head is another important part of a dental visit. The dentist looks for redness, inflammation, or tissue changes indicative of cancer. At Tecumseh Ridge Dental, we take this part of the visit very seriously because identifying diseased tissue can make a massive difference for our patients at an early stage.

Why Should You Also Get A Dental Cleaning Twice A Year?

In addition to looking out for cavities, our hygienist will also give you a dental cleaning that is more thorough than you can do on your own. This cleaning is good to remove set-in stains, and hardened plaque stuck between your teeth and under your gums. Your teeth will look better, and your breath will also improve after each regular visit. At Tecumseh Ridge Dental, we recommend that patients do a dental visit at least every six months. By visiting your dentist every six months for a dental cleaning, you can keep your teeth and gums in tip-top shape and also avoid developing major dental problems between visits.

Regular dental cleanings are an essential part of good oral hygiene. Besides keeping your teeth and gums healthy, a routine dental cleaning allows your dentist to get a look at what’s going on with your teeth so that issues like cavities or gingivitis can be treated early. If you haven’t gotten your teeth cleaned in a while, our hygienist may recommend root planing and scaling means deposits will be removed from the tooth’s root surfaces as well as the smoothing (planing) of those surfaces, so they are resistant to tartar buildup in the future. 

Why Dental Cleaning Visits Are Essential

Cavity Prevention

One of the most obvious reasons people visit the dentist regularly for check-ups and cleanings is avoiding cavities. It’s much more cost-effective to get a cleaning than to fill a cavity or get a root canal, after all. And teeth cleanings are also a much more pleasant experience than having dental caries filled.

Tooth Loss Prevention

Gum disease is a severe issue. It starts when plaque builds up on the teeth. As gum disease progresses, the plaque moves down into the tooth, destroying supporting bone tissues in the jaw. When this happens, the teeth become loose and begin to fall out. Dental cleanings significantly reduce the odds that a patient will lose their teeth due to gum disease.

Better Breath

Dental cleaning helps control the bacteria in the mouth that are responsible for causing bad breath. Though brushing and flossing the teeth regularly can help keep the breath fresh, a professional dental cleaning every six months is also crucial for maintaining an odor-free oral environment.

Brighten Your Smile

Who wouldn’t be smiling about saving money on dental costs, but regardless of the financial benefits, patients who get regular dental cleanings have whiter, brighter teeth with fewer stains and far less plaque and tartar.

Boost Your Overall Health

The health of your teeth and gums can have a profound impact on general health. The roots of your teeth, after all, are located near your sinus and brain cavities. An infection in a tooth can lead to serious health consequences as a result. On the other hand, regular dental check-ups and cleanings can boost your overall health and help you avoid some serious health issues later on down the road.

Save Money

Some dental insurance plans have low or no copayments for dental cleanings and oral exams, so it can be considerable savings to schedule regular cleanings. And even if your insurance doesn’t cover dental cleanings, patients often find that they’re much less likely to need expensive procedures done later on as a result of regular visits to the dentist.

What To Expect At Your Dental Cleaning

Brushing and flossing the teeth at home is essential for good dental hygiene, but once tartar develops on the teeth, it’s impossible to remove it at home. So, during a routine dental cleaning, the dentist will remove the tartar and plaque by scaling your teeth using a special metal tool, or a handheld device that “blasts” off the unwanted materials.

After the tartar and plaque have been removed, the hygienist may polish the teeth using a gritty paste and a polishing tool that helps remove surface stains and make your smile sparkle. After the surface of the teeth has been polished, our hygienist will floss your teeth to make sure all areas between the teeth are clean. Click on the links to learn more about dental cleanings and root planing treatments.

Between Dentist Appointments

We encourage our patients at Tecumseh Ridge Dental in Norman to keep their teeth clean between dental visits. Brushing and flossing are absolutely vital for healthy teeth. We recommend that patients brush at least two times a day with toothpaste that contains fluoride. Set aside time to floss at least once each day and use a mouthwash to control the growth of bacteria that cause plaque. Mouthwash will also freshen your breath!

All it will cost you to keep up this routine is an hour of your time twice a year. You may be thinking that visiting the dentist frequently will be expensive, but most insurance plans cover two cleanings a year. It won’t cost you anything and you should use your health benefits to the max. They don’t roll over to the following year. 

Schedule your appointment today.