Most Americans typically visit their general physician only when something serious has happened and they require medication. With dentistry, however, matters are not so simple. With oral health (as well as with general health), seeing your dentist on a regular basis is crucial to early detection and treatment of any problems. Knowing when you should visit the dentist can be a vital component of your oral health maintenance.
When It’s Time For A Regular Checkup
You should first of all make sure to visit a dentist when it’s time for your regular checkup. Seeing your dentist regularly for routine checkups is crucial to making sure your oral health stays on the right track. Most dentists agree that you should visit a dentist at least every six months to get the evaluation and treatment you might need. Regular checkups usually consist of an X-ray and a physical examination in which your dentist observes both the insides and outsides of your teeth to check for tooth decay as well as other issues.
Most dentists perform a variety of other diagnostics as well, from the mundane (like verifying the status of your gums) to the more serious (like making sure you display no early signs of oral cancer). While the tests usually come up negative, they can be vital to catching signs of serious diseases early to to later treat.
These regular checkups are often combined with a routine cleaning at many dental practices. Although brushing and flossing independently is important to maintaining oral hygiene standards, only a certified oral hygienist can give you the expert care that’s necessary to maintaining your overall health. Oral hygienists can target the areas of your mouth that are often unreachable by toothbrush or floss to make sure nothing develops unaware.
If You Damage a Tooth
It may sound somewhat obvious, but if you ever damage a tooth, you could consult a dentist to fix the tooth. Whether the damage is in the form of chips, cracks, or avulsion (teeth being knocked out), dentists have appropriate protocols to treat the problem.
With chips and cracks, for example, the dentist can administer a porcelain coating that restores the tooth and prevents the sharp edges from harming any other part of your mouth. In the same way, knocked out teeth can either be replaced by the original tooth or a properly set dental implant. Regardless of how perfunctory or sever the damage might seem, your dentist always has a solution to restore your mouth to its original state.
If You Experience Any Sort of Irregular Pain
Like with general physicians, dentists should be consulted if you ever experience something that feels wrong in your mouth. For example, a toothache might not seem like much on the surface, but tooth pain can be a precursor to many more serious issues like infections, gum disease or even oral cancer.
Symptoms vary from illness to illness, but, as a general rule, any form of pain is usually a bad sign. Swollen or bleeding gums, for example, can be a byproduct of periodontal disease (or gum disease) that could eat away at your tissue and bone if left untreated. A perpetually sore throat could be an indication of the development of a tumor. Even persistent halitosis (or bad breath) could signal that something else is wrong with your oral health.
If you ever experience anything irregular, you should immediately make an appointment to see your doctor. The worse that could happen is a false alarm, and at best you could have the , best dentist for periodontal evaluation in San Diego, California OR treating your oral health problems earlier rather than later.
I'm just your average hygienist with a passion for excellence. I do what I do best, which is to help my patients achieve healthy smiles and provide & educate them with oral health care solutions and lifelong cosmetic procedures.