Have you ever wondered why the American Dental Association) recommend regular dental check-ups every six months? It’s because regular dental hygiene visits are essential for healthy teeth and gums. In addition, it’s important that you work to keep your teeth and gums healthy between those examinations.
Regular Dental Check-Ups At Anthony Martin Dentistry
During regular dental check-ups and cleaning appointments at our Yorktown dental office, Dr. Martin and his team will :
- Examine the gums: Dr. Martin checks the gums for signs of inflammation, recession, or bleeding. Using a small probe, they measure the depth of the gum pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums). Healthy gums have shallow pockets, while deeper pockets may indicate gum disease (periodontitis).
- Look for signs of gum disease: During regular dental check-ups, our hygienist and Dr. Martin inspects each tooth using a mirror and a dental probe. They look for signs of tooth decay, cracks, chips, and worn-down fillings. The probe helps them check for soft spots that may indicate cavities, especially in hard-to-see areas.
- Checks the teeth for loose teeth: Identifying loose or weakened teeth early to avoid more serious issues like infections or tooth loss.
- Looking at the tissues inside of your mouth: As part of regular dental check-ups, Dr. Martin may perform an oral cancer screening. They will look for signs of abnormal growths or lesions in the mouth, lips, throat, or neck. This check is important because the rarly detection of oral cancer significantly increases survival rates. Dr. Martin’s check involves visually inspecting the soft tissues and palpating (feeling) around the mouth, jaw, and throat.
- Examine your tongue: The condition of your tongue can provide insights into your overall oral health. A healthy tongue should be pink and covered with small bumps (papillae). Changes in color, texture, or coating may indicate underlying health issues or oral diseases.
- Check your bite: Dr. Martin checks how your upper and lower teeth come together when you bite. He may ask you to bite down or perform certain jaw movements to evaluate alignment. Issues with bite or jaw alignment (occlusion) can cause problems like teeth grinding (bruxism), TMJ disorders, or excessive wear on teeth.
After the check-up, we will thoroughly clean, polish and floss your teeth, leaving them fresh and gleaming! . This part of the check-up helps prevent gum disease and cavities by maintaining a clean environment in the mouth. It also helps prevents plaque buildup, which can lead to cavities and gum disease while promoting fresh breath and overall oral hygiene.
Once we finish with your examination and cleaning, we’ll discuss with you the health of your teeth and gums and go ahead and schedule your next appointment. We’ll also make any additional recommendations.
As we mentioned previously, it’s important that you maintain good dental hygiene between your regular dental check-ups. Plaque is always forming on your teeth, but you can get rid of it by brushing and flossing regularly.
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day. Be sure to use a toothpaste that contains fluoride.
- Floss at least once a day.
Scheduling Regular Dental Check-Ups
Regular dental check-ups are key to maintaining long-term oral health and ensures timely treatments to prevent worsening conditions. In addition to keeping your teeth and gums healthy, they can help save thousands of dollars by allowing us to find and treat possible problems in their early stages, when they are most treatable, and less likely to rack up a big dental bill. regular dental check-ups can also help your smile look bright, healthy and all-around amazing for years to come. So if you haven’t visited us for a regular dental check-up in the last six months, it’s time to schedule your appointment with Anthony Martin Dentistry. We look forward to seeing you!
