Dentists usually encourage patients to book regular check-ups and hygiene appointments, generally every six months, though it might be more often if you have some issues with gums or teeth. You might have wondered why this frequency is recommended and even if it’s really necessary, especially if your dental health seems fine. There is a very good reason for this preventative approach towards your dental care as it can help save you time, money and can save your teeth!
Regular preventative dental care is not just about your teeth and maintaining a smile you will be proud of years into the future. It can also protect your general health.
Why Your First Visit Will Involve a Comprehensive Dental Checkup
During your first visit to Tsawwassen Place Dental, Dr. Sarah Harland or Dr. Tom Greene will thoroughly assess your dental health. Your first dental visit will be a comprehensive check-up during which your dentist will want to know your complete medical history and details of any medications or supplements currently taken. It’s also highly likely that you will require a complete set of dental x-rays.
All this information is necessary for our dentists to compile a complete picture of your current dental health. Knowing your medical history allows them to provide treatment that is safe and appropriate, and which will not negatively impact your general health or interfere with any medical conditions or treatments currently provided by your physician.
What Happens If I Need Treatment?
If any problems are discovered, all possible options can be discussed with you. It can be quite difficult to take in information when sitting in the dental chair, so you should always speak up if there’s something that doesn’t quite make sense or if you have any questions. The idea is to provide you with the information you need to take control of your dental health. You’ll also learn how frequently you should see a dentist and a hygienist to maintain good dental health. Some people may need more frequent checkups and cleanings, and this might be the case if you have any medical problems that could affect your dental health.
Maintaining a healthy mouth is one of the easiest ways to help protect your general health and is especially important if you have medical conditions affecting your immune system and which make it harder for you to fight infections. The nice thing about regularly seeing a dentist is that your dental health can be closely monitored so that if anything changes it can be treated, hopefully well before you notice anything is wrong.
I Brush My Teeth Properly So Why Do I Need to See a Hygienist?
If you brush and floss regularly, you might wonder if it’s really necessary to see a hygienist. In fact, regular hygiene appointments are an essential part of your preventative dental plan. Although you may brush and floss thoroughly, it’s still very easy to miss out certain areas, allowing plaque to harden into calculus. Even a mouth that is in great shape is likely to have some calculus buildup after a few months and this is an extremely hard substance that can only be removed during a regular cleaning.
Plaque and calculus contain bacteria that can infect your gums, increasing your risk of gum or periodontal disease. This is a serious condition that can cause tooth loss, and which can adversely affect your general health. Regularly removing calculus will protect you against gum disease and our hygiene team is excellent at helping patients improve dental health care at home. They can show you any areas that might be regularly missed during brushing and flossing and can even provide practical demonstrations on how to brush and floss even more effectively.
Once you have great dental health, just an hour or so of your time every six months will help keep it in excellent shape. Contact us to request an appointment.
* Source: The Smile Center thesmilecenter.com
