If it has been longer than six months since you last made a dental appointment, it may be time to schedule a visit! We suggest receiving a cleaning and examination at least twice per year to help prevent oral threats such as tooth decay and gum disease. While the daily brushing and flossing habits you practice at home form the basis for your oral care, these meetings allow us to inspect the results of your efforts. Our tools can remove plaque and tartar deposits that you cannot handle on your own. We can also highlight areas of your mouth that need more attention each day. By staying on top of this regular schedule, we can also catch instances of decay early when they develop to provide as conservative of treatment as possible. On the other hand, if you wait to visit until painful symptoms appear, decay could be silently doing significant damage over a long period.
At your Ankeny, IA, dental practice, we encourage each of our patients to prioritize their oral health with regularly scheduled cleanings and exams. As you continue to come in for your cleanings, we can create a dental record that can highlight quickly when changes arise. This proactive attitude toward caring for your smile allows us to both prevent harm and stop it in its tracks early when it first appears!
When Tooth Decay Threatens Your Beautiful Grin
When teeth are healthy, their enamel provides a bright, white sheen and handles hundreds of pressure from the force of your bite. This outside layer keeps oral bacteria from interacting with the sensitive inner dentin and pulp chamber areas. But when physical trauma or tooth decay breaks the seal, cavities can form or eventually cause painful infections. To prevent decay from taking hold, your daily brushing and flossing removes the sticky film formed by remnants of your meals and the bacteria that feed on them. By combining your cleaning habits with regular dental visits, we can best prevent decay from harming your smile!
How We Repair Cavities
When we detect a cavity at your checkup, we will recommend removing it right away to preserve the health of your tooth. Because removing decaying material alters the outer layer of your tooth, we must place a restoration to return its outer seal and prevent reinfection. Depending on the size and location of your cavity, we could place a dental filling or crown to strengthen your smile.
Speak With Your Ankeny, IA, Dentist About Scheduling A Checkup
We look forward to seeing you at your next appointment to help maintain your oral health! To schedule a visit, please call our Ankeny, IA, dentist’s office at (515) 965-0230. We also serve patients from Alleman, Elkhart, Bondurant, and all surrounding communities.
