Why Get Regular Dental Checkups?

It’s because regular dental visits are essential for the maintenance of healthy teeth and gums. You should have a regular dental visit at least every 6 months. There are 2 parts to a regular dental visit. One part is the check-up. The other is the cleaning.

The check-up

Checking your teeth for tooth decay is just one part of a thorough dental examination. During your check up appointment, your dentist will likely evaluate the health of your gums, perform a head and neck examination (to look for anything out of the ordinary) and examine your mouth for any indications of oral cancer, or diabetes. Don’t be surprised if your dentist also examines your face, bite, saliva and movement of your lower jaw joints (TMJs). During your regularly scheduled dental appointments, your dentist will also look at your tongue and throat.

The cleaning

Brushing and flossing help clean the plaque from your teeth, but you can’t remove tartar (harden plaque) at home. If not removed, it can irritate the gum tissue. If not treated, it can lead to gum disease.
During the cleaning, your dental professional will use special tools to remove tartar. This is called scaling.
Your dentist will then stress the importance of you maintaining good oral hygiene at home between visits.
This is because plaque and tartar can build up in a very short time if good oral hygiene is not practiced between visits. Food, beverages and tobacco can stain teeth as well.