Regular dental visits are important to keeping your teeth and gums healthy, and for spotting early signs and symptoms of other health concerns. Petrolia Dental in Edmonton recommends that you see a dentist and a hygienist for a dental exam and hygiene visit at least every six months.
About your visit with Edmonton Dentist
Most dental visits have two components – the check-up or examination, and the cleaning, or oral prophylaxis.
A big part of the dental check-up is to look for cavities. Your dentist will use x-rays to identify any weakness, cracks or holes in the teeth. You hygienist will examine your teeth to look for plaque and tartar build-up. Plaque is a clear layer of bacteria that sticks to teeth easily and can be tricky to remove. It’s important to get to it early, as it will harden and turn to tarter if left untouched. Tarter cannot be removed by brushing and flossing – it needs to be scraped off in your dental cleaning. If plaque and tartar are left to continue building up on your teeth, they can eventually cause oral diseases.
Along checking your teeth, the dental professional will assess the condition of your gums. Most hygienists will use a special instrument to measure the depth of the spaces between your teeth and gums. Healthy gums have shallow spaces, but the spaces get deeper as gum disease develops.
Dental checkups should also include a careful examination of your tongue, throat, face, head, and neck. This is an important way to catch mouth and throat cancer early, before it has the chance to progress.
A regular routine of brushing and flossing will help prevent plaque buildup which can make this process faster, but tarter is something that can’t be removed from home. The removal of tarter using specific dental tools is called scaling.
After your teeth are scaled, they may be polished using a substance that resembles toothpaste, with grit. Polishing removes a great deal of the surface stains that we develop through daily activities like eating and drinking.
If it’s been a while since you visited a dentist in South Edmonton, now is the time to get back on track. Call Petrolia Dental today to book an appointment.