Routine dental cleanings can pay off big time — for your health and your wallet.
Did you know?
The American Dental Association recommends regular visits to your dentist for dental cleanings and oral exams. The frequency of those visits depends on your oral health, but for a lot of us, that means every six months.
If your teeth aren’t in pain and you’re happy with your smile, you may consider putting off your next appointment. But, there’s a reason we recommend frequent visits; it all has to do with the magic word in dentistry: prevention. Preventive care can mean all the difference when it comes to avoiding painful — and costly — dental services.
Here is how a dental cleaning from Smile Fort Worth can save you money.
With routine cleanings, your dental hygienist can remove stubborn plaque that causes decay.
You know that fuzzy feeling on your teeth after you eat something sweet? That’s called plaque. It’s a dental biofilm that harmful bacteria call home.
Brushing and flossing at least twice a day can remove this plaque, but even the best brushers can miss a spot. Over time, this plaque hardens into tartar. Once that happens, only dental professionals, like those at Smile Fort Worth, can effectively remove it with special cleaning tools.
Regularly removing this tartar is proven to help prevent cavities and gingivitis that can lead to even more serious dental problems like an abscessed tooth or periodontitis — a serious form of gum disease. Short, pain-free visits for routine cleanings may seem like an inconvenience, but when you think about the time and expense that comes from a cavity or other painful tooth issue, these cleanings can be well worth sticking to an appointment.
Your dentist can check for early signs of decay.
When you come in for a dental check-up, your Smile Fort Worth dental hygienist will clean and polish your teeth. But that’s just one part of your visit. One of our dentists will also perform a routine oral exam to check for any issues involving your teeth or gums. They check for signs of gingivitis, any areas of tooth decay, and do a quick check of existing restorative treatments (things like fillings, crowns, or implants) to make sure they are all still working effectively.
During this quick examination, our dentists can catch the tiniest areas of tooth decay and treat them with quick, painless fillings before they lead to more extensive decay or pain. In dentistry, just like in most areas of health care, early detection benefits your health. Do your mouth a favor by prioritizing your bi-annual dental checkup.
In Dentistry, Just Like in Most Areas of Health Care, Early Detection Benefits Your Health.
You can receive helpful feedback on brushing and flossing habits.
Sometimes we can neglect those trusty brushing techniques we learned back in grade school. And as much as it pains us to say, flossing (for some people) is a twice-yearly chore only administered in a dental chair.
We all know we should prioritize good brushing and flossing habits, but sometimes we are too busy to dedicate time to a thorough morning and nighttime oral care routine. When you visit Smile Fort Worth for a dental cleaning and oral exam, we provide helpful feedback and encouragement — not judgment. At the end of the day, taking care of your teeth benefits you not us.
During your regular appointments, we can give you tips and advice you may need to improve the effectiveness of your daily care. For instance, maybe there’s slightly more tartar buildup on your upper back teeth or behind your front teeth. We can tell you which spots you may be regularly missing with the toothbrush.
Your dentist can detect and treat early signs of bruxism.
Bruxism is really just the dental term for teeth grinding or clenching. It can lead to jaw pain, tooth pain, headaches, and unnecessary wear and tear on your teeth.
But the strange thing is: you might not even know you’re doing it!
Many patients grind or clench their teeth at night when they’re asleep. While they may have the occasional morning headache, they may otherwise have no idea they’re even doing it.
During your oral examination, our dentists look for telltale signs of bruxism. Treatment can often be as simple as being fitted for a night guard to protect your teeth from damage. The earlier you treat bruxism, the less damage you’ll face (such as cracked, chipped, or broken teeth — or even more serious issues like TMJ pain or chronic headaches).
Save Time, Money — And a Potential Toothache — By Visiting Smile Fort Worth for Preventive Care.
Plan Your Next Visit to Our Office.
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