Dental health problems are common, and they can affect anyone and at any time. The most widespread problems include tooth decay, gum disease, tooth loss, and jawbone loss. All of these problems can have a damaging effect on your smile and confidence, and treating them can be expensive. However, did you know that it is possible to prevent most, if not all of them, from occurring through preventative oral care? At The Dentists at North Cypress, we offer a wide range of preventative dental health care services, including dental cleaning and exams.
Oral hygiene techniques such as brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash are very helpful in preventing several dental health issues. However, even with these practices, it is still possible for plaque, tartar, and oral bacteria to build up in your mouth, especially if you perform them poorly. It is also possible for your teeth to stain, something that cannot be reversed with simple oral hygiene techniques at home. These challenges bring about the need for professional dental cleaning.
Dental cleaning (professional dental cleaning) is an oral hygiene procedure that involves the cleaning of the teeth and other oral parts (gums, tongue, etc.). The procedure helps to improve your dental health status, while at the same time, preventing various dental health problems from occurring.
The dental cleaning procedure starts with an exam to identify the parts that will be cleaned. The exam also helps to identify any dental health issues that might need treating. After the examination, the cleaning procedure starts, which includes:
• Removal of plaque and tartar that has built up on the teeth or in the gums (the pockets formed by gingivitis). To completely remove the plaque and tartar, a scaler is used.
• Professional brushing using a high-powered toothbrush and a gritty toothpaste—this has a polishing effect on your teeth.
• Expert flossing.
• Rinsing, usually done with a liquid that contains fluoride.
Dental Cleaning offers many advantages:
• It prevents cavities by getting rid of accumulated plaque and oral bacteria.
• It prevents (or reverses) the effects of gum disease (early stages of gum disease) thus preventing tooth and jawbone loss.
• It helps to stop bad breath—getting rid of oral bacteria and food particles stuck in your mouth.
• It helps to brighten your smile—the polishing of your teeth.
In addition to professional dental cleaning, dental exams are another important oral health care practice that can improve your dental health significantly. A dental exam is just like any other medical diagnostic exam, only it performed in your mouth. The purpose of the exam is to identify any dental health problems so that they can be treated before they become serious.
A routine dental exam involves:
• X-ray exam to detect issues such as tooth decay, bone loss, cysts, and tumor. X-rays can also detect other problems such as crowding of teeth and impacted wisdom teeth by determining the position of the teeth and roots.
• Screening for oral cancer.
• Gum disease testing.
• Examination of any dental restorations (fillings, crowns, dentures, and others) to ensure they are in perfect condition.
Regular dental exams help to identify oral health problems in their early stages, thus allowing for enough time to treat them before they become serious. This spares you from the serious side effects of dental health problems (tooth loss, jawbone loss, etc.).
If you do not take proper care of your mouth, dental health issues can arise and become serious easily if they are not detected. This can cause a lot of problems for you—including loss of money in expensive treatment procedures. However, you can avoid all these with preventative oral care practices. Call us The Dentists at North Cypress, at (281) 664-8100 to learn more about dental cleaning and examinations, and how they can help you.