Regular Dental Visits – What Happens When You Visit Your Dentist
When you visit your dentist, he/she does two things. He/she carries out a routine and general check-up of your teeth and then cleans them up as required.
General Check-up
When carrying out a general check-up, your dentist will look for cavities and determine if there is a buildup of tartar or plaque on your teeth. The presence of plaque on your teeth indicates that there is a clear and sticky layer of bacteria. If the plaque is not removed regularly, it hardens and becomes tartar. Neither brushing nor flossing helps you to completely remove tartar. The build-up of plaque and tartar on your teeth can lead to the development of various oral diseases.
As the next step, your dentist will check your gums. This is done with the help of a specialized tool. It helps to measure the spaces present between your gums and teeth. The spaces between your gums and teeth will be shallow if you have healthy gums. The spaces between gums and teeth will be deeper if you have gum disease.
During the general check-up session, your doctor would also take a look at your tongue, throat, neck, face, and head. This helps him/her pick up any signs of swelling, cancer, or other conditions.
Cleaning
You may be able to clean the plaque through brushing and flossing. However, it is not possible to remove tartar on your own at home. Your dentist will make use of special tools for removing tartar. This process is referred to as scaling.
After scaling your teeth, your dentist will polish them. For polishing your teeth, your dentist will make use of a gritty paste. This helps to remove the stains on the surface of your teeth.
Finally, your dental professional will floss your teeth. This is to clean the spaces between your teeth.
Regular Dental Visits – What Should You Do Between Visits
You should take good care of your gums and teeth in between regular dental visits. This is because plaque keeps forming on your teeth. You should brush and floss regularly to remove the plaque. Some important tips for taking good care of gums and teeth at home are:
- You must brush your teeth at least two times in a day: in the morning and before going to bed in night.
- You must always use toothpaste that has fluoride in it.
- You must floss at least once a day.
- You must use mouthwash to get rid of bacteria in plaque. This in turn helps to freshen up your breath.
Regular Dental Visits – A Few Quick Facts
They are important as they help to maintain the health of your teeth and gums.
Your dentist subjects you to two procedures during regular dental visits: General check-up and cleaning.
During the general check-up phase, your dental professional examines your teeth, gums, tongue, throat, neck, face, and head assesses your overall oral health, and identifies trouble areas.
During the cleaning phase, your dentist will remove plaque as well as tartar and polish your teeth, if required.
You must visit your dentist at least two times a year, that is, every six months.