Here is What to Expect During Your Dental Checkup Exam and Cleaning
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Here is What to Expect During Your Dental Checkup Exam and Cleaning

Apr 01, 2022

Brushing and flossing is a great way to prevent bad breath, gum disease, tooth decay, and oral infections. However, good at-home dental hygiene is only a part of a good oral hygiene routine. Scheduling regular dental exams and cleanings are essential to maintain excellent oral and overall wellness. Even when you think your oral health is good, regular exams can help identify specific issues that you may not even think you had.

If you’ve never had a dental exam before, you may be curious about what to expect. Generally, dental checkups are standard procedures that involve examining and cleaning your mouth to ensure optimum oral health. The procedure only requires a single appointment and should take about 1-2 hours, depending on your oral condition. This article highlights what you should expect during your next checkup appointment. If you don’t already have a dentist, contact our dentist in Seattle.

What to Expect During Dental Examination

Once you get to the dental office, your dentist will learn about your medical history. They may ask you about existing and previously diagnosed conditions like diabetes, gum disease, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, and oral cancer. Let your dentist know if you have a family history of certain oral conditions or you’re taking any medication.

Next, the dentist will closely examine your teeth and check for issues such as poor bite cavities, decay, damage, and loose teeth. They will also check your gum tissues for gum disease, irritation, and infections. The dentist will also examine your jawbone, neck, throat, tongue, and lips for abnormalities such as oral cancer.

If the dentist detects an issue, they will create a customized treatment plan to address these issues. The dentist can schedule you for additional exams or refer you to a specialist if necessary. Common treatments for dental problems include dental bonding, filling, veneers, root canals, and crowns. The dentist might recommend a deep cleaning, root planing and scaling, and gum surgery for gum disease.

What to Expect During a Dental Cleaning

After examining your mouth, the dentist or hygienist will clean your teeth. They will use special instruments to remove tartar and plaque deposits from the teeth’s surfaces and along the gum line. After that, the dentist will floss and rinse your teeth to get rid of any remaining debris, followed by a polish to give you a bright and smooth smile. Lastly, our dental professionals will finish the appointment with a fluoride treatment to strengthen your teeth and protect them from cavities.

If you’d like to whiten your teeth further, your dentist can perform a whitening treatment.

Why Should You Have Regular Dental Exams?

Below are a few reasons why dental checkups are essential:

  • Prevent cavities and gum disease

  • Regardless of how thoroughly you clean your teeth, there’s still a risk of missing spots at the hard-to-reach areas, such as the back teeth. If food particles get trapped at these places, they can accumulate and mix with bacteria to form plaque and tartar. Even with thorough brushing, you can’t clean tartar without professional help. Your dentist will ensure no excess tartar is on your teeth, which can increase your risk of cavities and gum disease.

  • Early detection of dental issues

  • During dental checkups, the dentist examines your teeth, gums, and mouth to check for early signs of cavities, gum disease, oral cancer, and bite problems. If these problems go undetected, they will worsen and develop into severe and life-threatening conditions. They are also likely to cause severe pain, swelling, abscesses, and even death. Dental exams help detect these problems in time and prevent them from worsening.

  • Treat dental issues

  • The dentist will also treat any underlying conditions such as gum disease and cavities during a routine dental exam. They can also perform dental work such as dental veneers, bonding, and crowns. They will also check and replace damaged dental restorations if necessary.

How Often Should You Have A Dental Exam?

Patients without any existing oral issues should have at least one dental checkup every six months. If you have current problems or you’re at a higher risk of developing dental issues, your dentist might recommend regular visits, say every three months.

Schedule an Appointment Today

If you have further questions about dental exams and dental cleanings near you, contact Greenlake Dental to speak with our best dentists in Seattle.

  Click to listen highlighted text! Here is What to Expect During Your Dental Checkup Exam and Cleaning Apr 01, 2022 Brushing and flossing is a great way to prevent bad breath, gum disease, tooth decay, and oral infections. However, good at-home dental hygiene is only a part of a good oral hygiene routine. Scheduling regular dental exams and cleanings are essential to maintain excellent oral and overall wellness. Even when you think your oral health is good, regular exams can help identify specific issues that you may not even think you had. If you’ve never had a dental exam before, you may be curious about what to expect. Generally, dental checkups are standard procedures that involve examining and cleaning your mouth to ensure optimum oral health. The procedure only requires a single appointment and should take about 1-2 hours, depending on your oral condition. This article highlights what you should expect during your next checkup appointment. If you don’t already have a dentist, contact our dentist in Seattle. What to Expect During Dental Examination Once you get to the dental office, your dentist will learn about your medical history. They may ask you about existing and previously diagnosed conditions like diabetes, gum disease, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, and oral cancer. Let your dentist know if you have a family history of certain oral conditions or you’re taking any medication. Next, the dentist will closely examine your teeth and check for issues such as poor bite cavities, decay, damage, and loose teeth. They will also check your gum tissues for gum disease, irritation, and infections. The dentist will also examine your jawbone, neck, throat, tongue, and lips for abnormalities such as oral cancer. If the dentist detects an issue, they will create a customized treatment plan to address these issues. The dentist can schedule you for additional exams or refer you to a specialist if necessary. Common treatments for dental problems include dental bonding, filling, veneers, root canals, and crowns. The dentist might recommend a deep cleaning, root planing and scaling, and gum surgery for gum disease. What to Expect During a Dental Cleaning After examining your mouth, the dentist or hygienist will clean your teeth. They will use special instruments to remove tartar and plaque deposits from the teeth’s surfaces and along the gum line. After that, the dentist will floss and rinse your teeth to get rid of any remaining debris, followed by a polish to give you a bright and smooth smile. Lastly, our dental professionals will finish the appointment with a fluoride treatment to strengthen your teeth and protect them from cavities. If you’d like to whiten your teeth further, your dentist can perform a whitening treatment. Why Should You Have Regular Dental Exams? Below are a few reasons why dental checkups are essential: Prevent cavities and gum disease Regardless of how thoroughly you clean your teeth, there’s still a risk of missing spots at the hard-to-reach areas, such as the back teeth. If food particles get trapped at these places, they can accumulate and mix with bacteria to form plaque and tartar. Even with thorough brushing, you can’t clean tartar without professional help. Your dentist will ensure no excess tartar is on your teeth, which can increase your risk of cavities and gum disease. Early detection of dental issues During dental checkups, the dentist examines your teeth, gums, and mouth to check for early signs of cavities, gum disease, oral cancer, and bite problems. If these problems go undetected, they will worsen and develop into severe and life-threatening conditions. They are also likely to cause severe pain, swelling, abscesses, and even death. Dental exams help detect these problems in time and prevent them from worsening. Treat dental issues The dentist will also treat any underlying conditions such as gum disease and cavities during a routine dental exam. They can also perform dental work such as dental veneers, bonding, and crowns. They will also check and replace damaged dental restorations if necessary. How Often Should You Have A Dental Exam? Patients without any existing oral issues should have at least one dental checkup every six months. If you have current problems or you’re at a higher risk of developing dental issues, your dentist might recommend regular visits, say every three months. Schedule an Appointment Today If you have further questions about dental exams and dental cleanings near you, contact Greenlake Dental to speak with our best dentists in Seattle.

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