Exams are a crucial part of keeping your smile healthy and happy.
Have you ever waited to get an issue with your car checked out? Maybe it was making a weird noise or not starting properly, but hey – it’s still getting you from A to B, so it must not be urgent and you’ll get it taken care of next weekend.
But then… the car won’t start and the “not urgent” problem becomes a massive, expensive inconvenience that ruins your week (and maybe your rainy day fund).
We get it, it’s extremely easy to push things off. We’re all busy and hesitant to pay for something that might be unnecessary. However, with teeth – as with cars – avoiding or ignoring a problem until it becomes urgent oftentimes makes matters much worse in the long run. What might initially have seemed like a small ache can all of a sudden become an extremely painful abscess; and what might initially have been a filling becomes a full-blown root canal or extraction.
While we can’t make our patients take their dental health as seriously as we sometimes wish, we do want to do our best to make sure you understand the importance of regular cleanings and exams, so if its been awhile since your last checkup or you are experiencing any pain or discomfort, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Dacula dental team! We work hard to make the process as easy, quick, and comfortable as possible, so you can get on with your life knowing your dental health is in-check.
One of the first questions we get about cleanings and exams is how often one should get them. While the general rule of thumb is two per year, which works for most people, there are situations where we might recommend fewer or more.
This depends on a number of factors, including if you have a history of gum disease, if you have a weak immune system, if you smoke, if you’re pregnant, or if you’re diabetic.
The important thing to keep in mind is that your dental health is strongly related to your overall bodily health. People tend to view the two as separate, but they’re deeply entwined. Hence, if you have a weakened immune system, for example, it’s important to get more regular dental exams to look for any signs of infection, since an infection would be far more dangerous to a person with a weak immune system versus someone with a strong one.
Typically, exams are performed together with regular prophylactic cleanings – which involves removing any buildup of plaque and tartar. The exam itself covers a number of important bases to review the holistic health of your mouth.
If it’s been some time since you’ve had a series of dental X-rays, we may recommend having them to check for any underlying signs of decay, bone loss, tumors, cysts, and other problems. We’ll check your gums to look for any signs of disease or infection, and we’ll take a close look at each of your teeth to make sure they’re healthy and strong. We’ll also examine existing dental work, including fillings and crowns, to ensure there are no issues. You will also receive an oral cancer screening with each exam.
Ultimately, our goal is always to help you remain healthy while not putting a significant dent in your wallet or causing you any unnecessary frustration or discomfort.
