What to Expect From a Dental Exam

Getting a dental exam twice a year goes a long way when it comes to protecting your teeth, gums, and overall health. Keeping your mouth healthy helps keep the rest of your body healthy too, as many serious health conditions have been linked to dental issues. For example, people with gum disease are more likely to become diabetic.

Dental exams allow dentists to inspect their patient’s teeth, perform preventative treatments, and recommend and carry out treatments for existing issues detected during the examination. Dental examinations sometimes also include screenings for health issues like oral cancer.

Your dental exam

There is no reason to be nervous about getting a dental examination. It does not involve anything that would cause pain, so any fears are unfounded. Here is what typically goes on when a patient comes in for a check-up.

1. Interview

The first portion of a dental examination typically involves going over the patient’s health and dental history. Any existing conditions that the patient has are discussed, as well as any medications that they might be taking. Some medications have side effects that can affect a person’s dental health, like dry mouth. Using this example, dry mouth makes a person’s teeth more vulnerable to decay because it reduces saliva production. Saliva serves as a natural mouth cleanser that removes bacteria, debris, and acids that can damage teeth.

2. Examination

Once the dentist has all the information that they need, a visual examination of the patient’s teeth and gums is performed. The oral professional will also examine the patient’s neck and head, looking for abnormalities and signs of issues, like oral cancer.

Based on their findings, the dentist might also require diagnostics like radiographs and X-rays to get a clearer picture of the patient’s dental health. X-rays are not requested during every dental examination, but they are often done when the dentist is working with a new patient.

3. Teeth cleanings

These are a standard part of dental examinations and are used to remove plaque and tartar from teeth surfaces. It involves using a scaler to scrape tartar off. It is the only way to remove tartar because the bristles of a toothbrush are not hard enough to get it off.

Teeth cleanings help protect teeth against gum disease and tooth decay. The procedure is painless, so there is no need for a local anesthetic. Teeth cleanings also improve the way that teeth look. Tartar has a yellow color, and it is more prone to staining than teeth are. Teeth that are covered with tartar are typically discolored. Teeth cleaning can significantly improve how these teeth look.

4. Treatments

Dental examinations also provide a chance to treat any problems detected during the examination and perform preventative treatments. For example, dental sealants can be used to protect teeth that are prone to decay.

Get your teeth and gums checked out

The importance of getting regular dental checkups cannot be overstated when it comes to keeping your mouth and the rest of your body healthy. Give us a call or stop by our New Albany clinic to set up an appointment with our dentist.

Request an appointment here: https://riverfallsfamilydental.com or call River Falls Family Dental at (812) 962-7342 for an appointment in our New Albany office.

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Dental Cleaning and Examinations in New Albany, IN.