The Importance of Scheduling an Oral Cleaning

We can perform an oral cleaning to keep your teeth and gums in excellent health. We have found that many adults get so busy that they forget to schedule regular dental appointments. It is easier to remember to schedule annual well-visits and dental exams for children. However, when it comes to taking care of ourselves, many adults simply forget about it. We are here to remind you that oral health is not something to neglect.

What do we do during teeth cleaning appointments?

After all, people only get one set of permanent teeth, and taking care of them is essential for the ability to keep a full set of healthy teeth while aging. With that in mind, we encourage people to brush and floss teeth at least twice a day and have professional teeth cleanings twice a year. This will give people the best opportunity to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

Upon first visiting Montpelier Family Dentistry, we will review a patient's dental history and take an X-ray of the mouth. With this information, we can determine the health of the roots, the structure of the teeth, and the jawbone. This will help us to identify any signs of resorption or bone loss. We will also examine every one of the patient's teeth and gums to determine if there are any cavities, signs of gum disease, or infections. If we notice anything out of the ordinary, we will discuss treatment options with and move forward in helping the patient regain a healthy mouth.

More than just basic teeth cleaning

We will also look for signs of oral cancer. This is not something that most people think of when scheduling an oral cleaning. It is, however, incredibly important because oral cancer is a deadly disease that claims one life every hour. Like all forms of cancer, early detection is critical for one's ability to fight the disease. Some of the signs that we watch for are red and white bumps, rough patches in the mouth or hard lumps and bumps. If we see anything that appears out of the ordinary or identifies any of these symptoms, we will recommend the next best course of action.

Next, we will thoroughly clean the teeth and remove all of the plaque and tartar that has built up over time. Even if one brushes throughout the day and keeps up oral health, it is difficult to reach every area of the mouth. Missing these areas with a toothbrush can lead to dangerous plaque buildup. This is particularly dangerous for the health of one's gums.

Gum disease impacts most adults at some point in their lifetime. It is often minor, causing gums to be red or swollen. However, if gum disease is left untreated, it can cause gums to recede and pull away from the tooth. This can lead to bone and tooth loss in the future, something that we can prevent with regular oral cleaning.