What to Expect During Dental Checkups

(Do you have questions about what you can expect during dental checkups? Please read this blog for the information you need to undergo a dental checkup with ease.)

Dentists throughout Canada, besides the Canadian Dental Association, recommend twice-yearly appointments with your preferred dentist as a preventive measure to detect and treat oral health problems. Early detection of oral health problems makes it easier to treat them. If you aren’t aware of what you can expect during dental checkups, we suggest you continue reading this article for all the information you want on this subject.

How Often Must You Visit Your Dentist?

The CDC recommends a couple of visits every year for most people for dental checkups. During a checkup, you can expect to be seen by the dentist in Langley and a registered dental hygienist. The hygienist cleans your teeth, polishes them, discusses methods of caring for your teeth, and answers any questions you have.

The dentist near you reviews the cleaning performed by the hygienist, examines your gums and teeth, diagnoses oral health problems, if any in your mouth, requests x-rays if required, and makes treatment recommendations. Checkups are essential because besides combining dental exams and cleanings in one appointment, they also help detect problems early.

Why Are Twice Yearly Appointments Necessary?

Seeing the family dentist in Langley twice a year is essential for the following reasons:

• The dentist can detect problems you may not see or feel.
• The visits enable the dentist to locate early signs of decay before it progresses to advanced stages.
• For treating any oral health problems detected early when the issues are easily manageable.

Will You Need Frequent Or Fewer Appointments During The Year?

Twice yearly appointments function appropriately for most. However, some people may need to visit the Langley dentist more often because of conditions they let progress without regular visits. People who need more frequent visits to the Langley dentist include:

• Patients affected by gum disease.
• Family members with a history of dental caries and plaque buildup.
• People with a weakened immune system.
• People who have experienced events causing stress or illnesses or notice changes in their mouth or infections occurring.

At the same time, if you take excellent care of your teeth and gums and have had an extended period without dental issues, fewer visits to your dentist are sufficient.

What Happens During Dental Checkups?

During a dental checkup, expect two dental professionals to treat you, including the following oral healthcare activities.

The hygienist will begin the cleaning process by conducting an initial oral exam of your gums. Although hygienists are not permitted to diagnose tooth and gum problems, they are allowed to document them. The hygienist also records and changes to your overall health and discusses with you best practices for caring for your teeth and gums besides answering any questions you have. While discussing with you about your overall health, the hygienist also inquires about medicine use and cleans and polishes your teeth.

The dentist also performs oral exams of your teeth and gums, inquiring about changes to your overall health and medicine used and reviews the cleaning performed by the hygienist. The dentist looks for indications of oral cancer or other problems, diagnoses oral health problems and makes treatment recommendations if required.

You receive a thorough cleaning from the hygienist to eliminate plaque and tartar buildup on your teeth and below the gum line. Plaque and tartar are usually best removed at home by brushing and flossing but are challenging to remove from the difficult-to-reach areas of your mouth. When plaque hardens into tartar, removing it by brushing and flossing is impossible and needs help from dental professionals. Dental hygienists make use of dental instruments called scalars to clean your teeth.

After the cleaning process, the hygienist polishes your teeth to remove any leftover plaque from between your teeth and stains on the surfaces. The polish has abrasive agents and is an excellent way to give you fresher breath after the cleaning process.

You might receive additional instructions to follow at home, depending on the results of your exam. If you have any questions in your mind, do not hesitate to inquire with your hygienist for instructions on brushing and flossing techniques and general questions about your teeth and gums.

X-rays may or may not be required during the six-monthly checkups. Your dentist considers your oral exam, dental history and others of dental caries to determine how often you need x-rays.

If the dentist locates any oral health problems during the checkup, they recommend the best practices you can follow or even refer to different oral healthcare specialists for additional diagnostic tests or provide advice to return for restorative work such as fillings and crowns and other oral healthcare.