Routine care is essential for keeping teeth and gums strong, so you avoid cavities, infections, and periodontal disease. To help manage your oral health, we offer general dental care. In today’s blog, your Ankeny, IA, dentist looks at a key part of general dentistry: checkups and cleanings.
The Impact of Poor Oral Hygiene
When we don’t see the dentist every six months for a checkup and cleaning, this can allow plaque and tartar buildup to remain in place, eventually weakening the enamel and inflaming the gum tissues. These are major factors behind cavities and periodontal disease, which can threaten smile stability. You also have a higher risk of teeth stains and bad breath. But with a routine visit every six months, we can monitor your smile for signs of trouble and then treat the issues in the early stages. We also remove the harmful buildup that can threaten your oral health!
Dental Checkups
During your dental exam, our team will look closely at your smile with digital x-rays and intraoral cameras, obtaining high-definition images to make a more accurate and precise diagnosis possible. We look for issues like tooth decay, dental infection, gingivitis, and gum disease. We screen for oral cancer too, and watch for indicators of TMJ disorder and bruxism (teeth grinding). For kids, we make sure primary teeth erupt and fall out on schedule so permanent teeth have a clear path to arrive. These visits enable our team to protect your oral health and ensure everyone in your family enjoys optimal oral health for years to come.
Cleaning Your Teeth
During the cleaning portion of your visit, we will completely remove all plaque and tartar from your teeth, which helps lower the risk of cavities and gum issues, while also fighting bad breath and teeth stains. With an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual tool, our team will gently and thoroughly remove all the layers of buildup from your teeth. We then polish them for a brighter appearance and to make it more difficult for plaque and tartar to accumulate on their surfaces. The process only takes a few minutes, but is crucial for keeping your smile bright and healthy.
If you have any questions about how our team will protect your smile with general dentistry, or if you would like to schedule your next checkup and cleaning appointment, then contact our team today to learn more.
Dental Impressions Talks About Our General Treatment Options
We want to help you smile with confidence and avoid poor oral health, so we offer general dentistry to ensure you can enjoy your best possible smile. To find out more and schedule your preventive visit, call Dental Impressions in Ankeny, IA today at (515) 965-0230.
