Your teeth are strong and perform a wide variety of important tasks every single day. However, for them to remain strong, and perform their jobs properly, your teeth require special care. The American Dental Association recommends that you brush and floss every day. However, this home care routine is only part of the equation. To optimize your oral health and prevent serious oral health issues, the ADA also recommends twice yearly cleanings and exams. Kelly Smile Dentistry can help.
Your Cleanings
The ADA recommends two professional cleanings a year. These cleanings help you to further prevent serious oral health issues by removing buildup from all surfaces of your teeth, including those areas that you might miss during your regular brushing and flossing sessions at home. Your cleaning begins with a thorough scraping of your teeth. We work to remove all buildup, including plaque, tartar, bacteria and other debris. While plaque and bacteria can be removed by brushing, you may miss certain areas of your mouth. If plaque is left on the teeth too long, it can harden into tartar, which cannot be removed with a toothbrush. We make sure to clean every surface of your teeth, including between them as well as just below the gumline.
After your teeth have been scraped clean, we then move on to polishing your teeth. This involves the use of an electronic handpiece equipped with a rotating head and a dental polish. This polish contains abrasives that work to scrub your teeth clean, leaving them shiny, fresh, and whiter. Finally, your cleaning ends with flossing. Even if you have already flossed, another session cannot hurt. Aside from removing any buildup from between your teeth that you may have missed at home, our flossing also helps to eliminate any debris or polish that may have accumulated during your cleaning. If necessary, we can finish your cleaning with a fluoride treatment.
Your Exams
Much like your cleanings, dental exams should be done at least twice a year, and these exams are typically done in the same appointment. Your exams allow us to check the condition of your teeth, looking for signs of oral health issues in their earliest stages before symptoms even begin to show. By catching issues in the early stages, we can be proactive and take the necessary action to prevent them from getting worse, avoiding the need for potentially invasive treatments later on. During your exams, we look at your teeth, checking for signs of decay, cavities, fractures, chips and other damage. We check your gums for signs of infection, such as redness and swelling. We also examine your other oral tissues for signs of abnormalities, including ones that might point toward oral cancer. X-rays are also an integral part of your dental exams. They allow us to check the condition of the hidden areas of your mouth, including between the teeth, the roots of your teeth and your jawbone. These images allow us to detect issues that might otherwise go unnoticed until serious damage has been done.
Your exam ends with a discussion of your oral care habits as well as your lifestyle habits. During this discussion, you can ask any questions that you might have, and we can provide you with tips on how to optimize your oral health at home.
While it may not seem like much, twice-yearly cleanings and exams are an integral part of keeping your mouth happy and healthy. If it is time for your cleaning and exam then schedule an appointment or call Kelly Smile Dentistry Victorville today at 760-242-2338.