Having a dental exam is one of the most important things you can do for your oral health. We recommend patients return every 6 months for an examination to allow us to check for potential problems. At River Run Family Dentistry we are serious about providing the best oral care for our patients.
One of the reasons certain people develop serious oral health issues such as late-stage tooth-decay is that they do not catch the issues until it is too late. This is like a traditional medical clinic checking for issues many people would not know that they have, and it is equally as important because oral health issues can turn into overall health issues. For example, studies have shown that there is a link between gum disease and high blood pressure that could lead to a stroke.
What to Expect During an Exam
When you come in for an exam, we will ask various questions regarding aspects of your lifestyle that affect oral health. Questions such as “Do you currently smoke?” and “ How often are you brushing?” are some of the key questions that will be asked. This gives us an idea of what to specifically look for once we start examining your mouth. For instance – heavy smokers are at risk of developing oral cancer, and so that gives us an idea of what to be mindful of.
The examination process itself involves checking all aspects of the health of your teeth, such as seeing if your teeth are properly aligned when biting, looking for cavities or teeth that show decay, and seeing if there are signs of gum disease. Essentially, anything that could go wrong with teeth or your gums is what we actively look for.
If we do find a problem inside of your mouth, we will talk to you about the next steps. If you simply have an average-sized cavity – a common occurrence, it can be filled. However, we will tell you about proper dental hygiene habits for the future so that you can have a fantastic check-up on your next visit. This is all for your wellbeing, we are here to help you have the healthiest mouth possible!
Cleaning
In addition to checking for any oral health issues, we will provide a deep, thorough clean for your mouth that involves completely getting rid of built-up tartar and plaque. This is an additional reason why it is a good idea to see us every 6 months, a lot can happen in that span of time – even if you are practicing good brushing and flossing habits, it is still entirely possible to have a little bit of tartar build-up.
To sum up the cleaning process of the examination, we will clean, rinse, and polish your teeth – providing you with the freshest, cleanest mouth possible. We think that once you experience how good you will feel after a dental exam, you will look forward to your return!
We are here to help with your oral health and at River Run Family Dentistry, we want you to feel at home with us. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment with us, you can call 830-387-3040. We hope to see you soon!
