What to Expect at Your Dental Check-Up
Has it been a while since your last dental check-up? The American Dental Association recommends six-month dental visits to maintain optimal oral health so wait no longer! Your dental check-up is more than just a teeth and gums check. We evaluate so much more to ensure your overall health. In this blog, your Cleveland, TX, dentist discusses what you should expect at your next dental check-up.
Thorough Medical History Review
When you first enter our welcoming treatment room, we will review your medical history. Why is this important, you may ask? Well, so many dental issues are created due to systemic causes such as diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune conditions. Without understanding your medical history, we may misunderstand the reasons behind your gum disease or decay issues. To prevent future issues, we must understand the root causes of the problems.
Periodontal Screening for Gum Disease
Next, we take a small measuring device and check the pockets around the teeth. Your gums create pockets around the tooth and when the gum tissue is infected the pockets will become deeper. Deeper pockets trap plaque and bacteria. We must understand your gum health to provide the right type of cleaning for you.
Thorough Cleaning
If your gums are healthy enough, we can perform a regular cleaning to keep you at your best. We will use a gentle ultrasonic device that will remove plaque and tartar from all around the teeth. Then we will polish your teeth to remove any surface stains. If your gums are infected with gum disease, you will need a deep cleaning or scaling and root planing. In this procedure, we must access tarter and plaque that has built up below the gum tissues. To keep you comfortable we will numb your gums. This procedure can take 1-2 visits depending on the severity of the periodontitis.
Hard and Soft Tissue Exam
At some point during your dental visit, the doctor will perform a comprehensive dental examination. He will review the high-tech digital radiographs taken that day to check for decay or dental infections. Then the doctor will take a visual look inside the mouth checking the teeth and soft tissues. At this time, the dentist will also do an oral cancer screening. The airway will also be assessed. Depending on your unique situation, recommendations or referrals may be made and we will take the time to make sure you understand the best treatment options.
Schedule Your Next Dental Visit
To ensure your optimal oral health and wellness, allow us to perform your next dental check-up. To schedule your next exam call our dental office in Cleveland, TX, today at (281) 592-1234.