Dental Exams and Cleaning
Preventing Problems Before They Start
Passionate, Dedicated, Friendly
Everybody knows brushing and flossing your teeth is key to good oral health. However, you avoid future dental problems when you pair at-home care with professional dental exams and cleaning.
Why Are Dental Exams and Cleaning Important?
When you think of “dentist,” you probably think of pain, drilling, and stressful dental procedures. Due to this, you only visit your dentist when you feel pain – which is usually a sign that something is wrong.
However, you can avoid severe problems by opting for regular dental exams and cleaning.
Regular visits to your dentist allow them to look for any signs of problems such as gum disease, cavities, etc. This way, you nip the problems in the bud and don’t have to get serious dental procedures.
Your dentist also screens for any oral cancer markings in the dental exams. Identifying and treating dental problems early increases the chances of successful treatments and saves a lot of money over time.
How Often Should I Get Dental Exams and Cleaning Done?
The American Dental Association advises that you visit your dentist at least every six months to a year for routine dental exams and cleaning.
Patients with a history of gum disease should visit their local dental office more often to prevent the infection from recurring.
How often you should see your dentist depends on your oral health, habits, individual needs, and overall general health. Your dentist will recommend a visitation schedule to ensure your oral health is thriving.
What To Expect In Dental Exams and Cleaning
Your dentist at Osseo Dental will perform the dental exam. The cleaning will be taken care of by the dentist or a dental hygienist. The process takes place in the following steps –
Intake of Medical and Dental History
Once you’re in the dentist’s office, your dentist asks you a series of questions that will provide information about your past oral and general health.
You are asked about any medications you’re taking, any ongoing treatments, allergies, alcohol consumption, and smoking habits.
Your dentist asks about any chronic medical conditions, previous dental treatments, surgeries, and issues with anesthesia (if any).
All this information allows the dentist to establish a baseline and plan any treatment around it.
Investigations
The second step is thoroughly examining your teeth, gums, jaw, and other oral structures. The dentists perform a physical investigation and ask for X-rays to detect abnormalities.
X-rays help visualize any trouble spots that aren’t visible to the naked eye. They take full-mouth x-rays to create a record.
X-rays aren’t taken in every dental exam. Your dentist will only request one if they suspect a problem.
Professional Cleaning
In a professional cleaning, your dentist removes the plaque and calculus (hardened tartar) stuck to the teeth and gums. Ultrasonic cleaning equipment helps make this process easier.
Once the plaque and calculus are scraped away, your dentist polishes the teeth using an electric toothbrush and gritty toothpaste. They follow it with expert flossing and application of fluoride treatment.
Examining The Results
After cleaning the teeth, your dentist will conduct an exam to check for any other dental defects. They also evaluate your risk for developing dental problems in the future.
Oral Cancer Screening
Dentists now include cancer screenings in routine dental exams due to the increasing number of oral cancer cases. Oral cancer is a severe illness; if not detected early, it spreads quickly and becomes life-threatening.
An early cancer diagnosis is beneficial because it is treatable. Dentists are experts at detecting early signs. They examine the soft tissues of your mouth and jaws for signs of oral cancer.
Providing Dental Education
Once the dental exams and cleaning are done, your dentist will sit with you and discuss their discoveries and concerns. They will also guide you in caring for your teeth and gums to avoid future dental problems.
Dental Exams and Cleaning at Osseo Family Dental
Osseo Family Dental is a family dental establishment – meaning we take care of not just your oral health but also attend to your loved ones. Whether you have little kids or seniors at home, bring them to our office, and we shall take care of the rest.
Give us a call at (763) 425-2626. You can also request an appointment here.
Dental Exams and Cleaning FAQs
Can I take care of my oral health at home?
Taking care of your oral health at home is part 1 of 2 of maintaining good oral health. The second part involves the care provided by dental professionals. Routine dental exams and cleaning help care for any dental problems that might be cropping up.
Will the dentist take x-rays at every visit?
No. Your dentist will only advise a dental x-ray if they deem it necessary.
Does dental cleaning hurt?
Dental cleaning is not a painful procedure. However, you might feel sensitivity if you have gum disease. If you are sensitive to sounds, speak to your dentist about how to avoid them.