Every person should always schedule and keep routine appointments with their general dentist every six months. These visits are very important in determining the overall health of your teeth and gums. It is at your routine visits that your dentist is able to find and begin treating any type of oral health issue. You want to find any issues early on to prevent problems further down the road.
Most people visit their dentist every six months or as recommended. At the routine cleaning, your dentist will examine your gums. What are they looking for? Your dentist checks a couple of things each time you visit to ensure your teeth are at peak health.
An all-over examination of your mouth is one of the only ways to keep your original teeth for as long as possible.
The primary thing dentists look for when examining your gums is gum disease. Early stages of gum disease exhibit signs that can usually be detected during routine dental exams.
Your dentist will check the coloring of your gums to ensure they are a healthy color. Healthy gums are usually a coral pink color. Your dentist also may poke at the gums to see if they bleed. If your gums bleed easily, it can signify gum disease.
Dentists will also utilize a probe designed to measure the pockets in your gums around your teeth to check for gum recession.
Several signs can indicate gum disease. Your dentist checks for these things at each cleaning, but some of these signs include:
All of these symptoms are reasons enough to see your dentist and discuss them so they can be treated as soon as possible.
The early stages of gum disease start with a plaque on the teeth. The buildup of plaque consists of mucus, bacteria, and other particles. When the plaque remains on the teeth for prolonged periods, tartar develops, the hardened form of plaque. Once tartar has developed, it can only be removed by the dentist or dental hygienist.
Other factors can also cause an elevated risk of the development of gum diseases, such as diabetes, illnesses, genetics, and hormonal changes in both women and girls.
Gum disease left untreated, can be very harmful to your health over time and affect your body’s overall health, not just your gums.
The treatment of gum disease is dependent on the patient. Your general dentist will determine the best course of action during the dental exam. Treatment may involve scaling and polishing, which is essentially the standard cleaning that is done during a dental exam.
Root planing may also be used for treatment but only if necessary. It is a thorough cleaning process that targets the bacteria adhered to the roots of the teeth. Since it may be painful, patients sometimes need a local anesthetic.
Periodontal surgery is used in extreme cases if other treatment options will not fix the problem.
Prevention of gum disease starts at home. General dentists can only do so much during the two cleanings done each year, so much of the preventive care falls on the patient.
You should ensure you are brushing and flossing every day. This will help remove the buildup of plaque and bacteria from the day. Routine visits to the dentists are wise, as your dentist will monitor your gums for early signs of gum disease and can address them as they arise. However, if left unchecked, you may be facing extensive treatment to bring your gums back to a healthy state.
Your dentist is your best defense against many health issues associated with bad oral health. Everyone wants to take care of their teeth so they last for a lifetime, and seeing your dentist regularly is one of the only ways to ensure that you do.
Use your dental check-ups to ask questions and take control of the health of your teeth and gums. Ask the hygienist if they have any suggestions about how you can better brush your teeth or point out any areas you are missing.
You want to do all you can to be sure your mouth stays as healthy as possible. Discussing your options with your dentist is a great first step.
Request an appointment here: https://smilesdental.com or call Smiles Dental Care at (650) 563-1180 for an appointment in our Mountain View office.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: General Dentist in Mountain View, CA.
One aim of general dentistry is to make the patient’s experience as positive as possible. A dentist who is good at their job will achieve this feat in two ways. First, they will use proactive, preventative measures that keep intensive procedures to a minimum. Second, the dentist will use every tool at their disposal to…
A broken tooth is a common dental issue that fills most people with dread, especially when the crack is near the front of the mouth. Front teeth fractures are quite common among children, teenagers, and young adults. Fortunately, a dentist can recommend various repair or replacement options for damaged front teeth to help patients resume…
A restorative dentist is exactly who you need to talk to if you have missing teeth. Losing a tooth can be a worrisome experience as you realize your smile has been permanently changed. Fortunately, there are many missing tooth replacement options these days thanks to the countless dental innovations that have occurred in the past…
A broken tooth might not seem like a big deal if it is only a minor break, but it still requires treatment. This is because broken teeth cause more damage than simply ruining the appearance of a person’s smile. The damage typically removes portions of the outer surface of teeth, called enamel, which protects the…
Having a smile makeover is something that many people want from the dentist. Because a smile is often the first thing someone will notice about you, it should be high on your priority list to fix dental blemishes. There are multiple problems that affect a smile. Fortunately, your dentist can treat these concerns and restore…
One of the most common orthodontic treatments that a general dentist offers is Invisalign®. This popular way to straighten crooked or crowded teeth offers individuals flexibility and ease while undergoing a discreet method of treatment. With Invisalign®, there are a lot of things to know, as it is a newer orthodontic treatment with a totally different technology…