Routine dental exams and cleanings are important habits to start and maintain throughout your life.
You shouldn't have to wait until something hurts to make an appointment with your dentist. Regular dental exams give us a chance to see how your teeth and gums are doing and catch problems that you might not notice on your own. Cavities, gum disease, and infections can develop without causing much discomfort at first. By finding these issues early, we may be able to treat them before they lead to more serious problems or require procedures such as root canal treatment. Routine exams also include checking for unusual changes in your mouth that could be signs of oral cancer. While accidents and unexpected dental emergencies can still happen, keeping up with your check-ups can help you avoid many preventable problems.
At Northside Dental, we want you to feel comfortable asking questions and discussing any concerns you have about your teeth. We understand that everyone has different needs, whether that means working around a busy schedule, staying within a budget, or dealing with dental anxiety. We'll explain our findings, talk through your treatment options, and help you decide what makes the most sense for your oral health. Call Northside Dental at 317-342-9446 to schedule your next exam, or visit us at 15026 Greyhound Ct., Carmel, IN 46032.
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Who is a Candidate for Regular Dental Exams and Check-ups?
Everyone in the entire family, from small children with their baby teeth to your grandparents with full sets of dentures, should see Northside Dental every six months at a minimum. This is to complement their daily oral hygiene routine of brushing twice a day and flossing once a day. Not only are your children as susceptible to cavities as any adult, but their baby teeth need supervision to make sure they are growing in correctly and without disease or decay. Even though children will eventually lose their baby teeth, that first set of teeth is just as important as their later, more permanent teeth.
As for the adult members of your family, routine dental exams and cleanings are important habits to start and maintain throughout your life. As you naturally age from young adult to adult to senior citizen, your risk for oral infection increases. As your teeth age, the hard enamel exterior ages as well and weakens, opening the door for cavities. At-home brushing and flossing twice daily are imperative to keeping your mouth healthy, but the team at Northside Dental can perform a more thorough cleaning and screen for more serious oral issues.
Deep Teeth Cleaning at Your Dental Exam
Sometimes adults who follow a proposed preventative plan of brushing and flossing twice a day, visiting the dentist twice a year, and maintaining a healthy diet will still run into problems with gum disease. When we detect gum disease in one or more areas of your mouth, we may recommend a more thorough cleaning involving cleaning below the gum line with special dental tools. This is referred to as a scaling and root planing procedure or a deep cleaning, and it removes tartar buildup, debris, and bacteria from below the gums, which is the source of the inflammation of the gum tissue. If this gum inflammation and infection, or gingivitis, is not addressed, it will lead to more serious stages of gum disease, which can then result in tooth and bone loss.
Before Northside Dental performs the deep cleaning, we will use a local anesthetic to help you stay comfortable during the procedure. After we are finished, it may be necessary to use a course of antibiotics or an antibiotic mouthwash to help your soft tissue heal properly.
What to Expect at Your Regular Dental Exam and Check-up?
During your visit with us, we will examine your mouth with various dental hand tools and small pieces of equipment. These will help us perform a thorough cleaning of your teeth and mouth and conduct various examinations of different aspects of your mouth for potential disease.
- Tooth decay- we will check each tooth for weakened enamel, cracks, or areas of serious plaque buildup, which can be signs of decay and eventual cavities or infection.
- X-rays- these images allow us to see what is going on below the surface of your teeth. X-rays will show us how dense a tooth is, how the root looks below the gum line, including potential tumors, growths, cysts, or places of decay. Once Northside Dental has more than one set of X-rays to compare from previous visits to this current visit, we can have developed a history and a more complete set of data to monitor your continued dental health.
- Gum disease – we will look closely at your gums and the teeth near the gum line to check for any indication of periodontal disease.
- Existing restorations- we will check any fillings, crowns, or other tooth restorations for signs of serious wear and tear, allowing for possible infection or other future issues.
- Oral cancer screening- we can closely scrutinize your teeth, gums, tongue, lips, cheeks, and throat for any signs of cancer or abnormal growths to biopsy or further investigate.
At-Home Suggestions- we can review with you the best ways to keep your mouth healthy at home, from how to brush and floss to which areas of your mouth may need more attention. Northside Dental can even review with you diet tips to keep your mouth healthy that include avoiding sugar, adequate water intake, and foods to eat that have the proper nutrients you need to keep a strong, healthy smile.
Your Comfort and Your Care
You can't avoid every trip to the dentist, nor should you skip your regular check-ups. However, taking good care of your teeth at home can help you avoid additional visits for preventable dental problems. Start by brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush. Flossing at least once a day is also important, since your toothbrush can't reach all the spaces between your teeth. You may also benefit from using a mouthwash to help control plaque and support your gum health. What you eat and drink matters, too. Limiting sugary foods, cutting back on acidic beverages, and drinking plenty of water can all make a difference in keeping your teeth healthy.
At Northside Dental, we want to make looking after your oral health as easy as possible. We know that dental appointments aren't always convenient, especially when you're trying to manage work, school, and family responsibilities. Our staff does its best to accommodate your schedule and keep your visits running smoothly without rushing through your care. Whether you're coming in for a routine appointment or bringing the kids along for their check-ups, we want you to feel welcome and comfortable in our office. To schedule a visit, call Northside Dental at 317-342-9446 or stop by 15026 Greyhound Ct., Carmel, IN 46032.