Dental checkups are the annual physical exams of dentistry. Instead of checking in on your overall health, we check your teeth and gums for signs of issues that need treatment.
Based on the results of your checkup, we can tell you if you need any treatments like fillings and root canals to keep your oral health intact.
General dentists Joshua Whitford, DDS, and Jessica Whitford, DDS, are happy to provide dental checkups to their patients of all ages at Silver Lake Dental in Raymore, Missouri. Our Silver Lake Dental team also provides a thorough cleaning during these visits to improve your oral health and ward off disease.
You may be wondering just how necessary dental checkups are and how often you should get them. Is a dental visit really necessary if you don’t have any tooth pain, persistent bad breath, or other concerns? It is, and we’ll tell you why.
Your dentist determines just how often you should come in for a checkup. Every mouth is unique, and a single standard recommendation doesn’t work for everyone. Most people benefit from one or two visits a year.
If you have ongoing oral health issues or general health concerns that increase your risk for mouth infections and other dental problems, we may encourage you to visit more often. That way, we can monitor any ongoing conditions and watch for early signs of decay and disease you might not initially detect.
At Silver Lake Dental, we use X-rays, exams, and other diagnostic strategies to evaluate your oral health. We also look over your general medical history and note the medications you take. Using all of this information, we let you know how often to book exams and cleanings.
Regardless of how many times per year we tell you to schedule a checkup, you should take heed. In addition to your everyday oral hygiene practices, regular dental checkups can:
Visiting our office regularly gives you the chance to refine your brushing and flossing skills and minimize your risks for oral health complications, including severe issues like periodontitis and oral cancer.
Due to the oral-systemic connection, dental exams and cleanings can keep your general health in excellent shape too. Bad oral hygiene — gum disease specifically — is linked to several chronic health conditions, including diabetes and heart disease.
If you’ve spoken with your dentist about dental checkups and their frequency already, you have a good grasp on when to schedule your next visit. If not, now’s the time to find out. Call us at Silver Lake Dental to schedule an appointment for a dental checkup and cleaning today.
