Dental Exam, Cleaning, and X-Ray

Few of us grew up understanding just how important oral health is to overall health. Because we all had cavities as kids, we thought we just needed to brush and floss daily, though few were shown the most effective way to do these tasks.

Cavities do remain the second most common disease (only less than the common cold). More serious is periodontal or gum disease, which is when you don’t brush for two minutes twice a day, preferably after breakfast or lunch and then after your last snack (when you also floss). If even a few particles of food or traces of beverages remain anywhere on the tooth or the gums, these attract bacteria, which turns into a sticky film called plaque that infects the gums. This is periodontal disease, which can pull the gums away from their support for the teeth, which become loose and eventually fall out unless this is treated early. Periodontal bacteria significantly raise the risk for everything from diabetes to cardiovascular disease.

That is the main reason it is vital that you have a full dental exam twice a year to catch gum disease and cavities before they become rampant. If there is any indication that an infection may have gotten into the jawbone, a digital x-ray (which involves minimal radiation) will be needed. Dr. Pour will also check for other oral health issues, such as signs that you are grinding your teeth down while you sleep, TMJ Disorder (dislocation of the hinge that connects the upper and lower jaw, common in pre-menopausal women), and oral cancer. Unfortunately, a third of all Americans do not even have a dental exam once a year, so they end up in pain and need expensive restorations for problems that could have been prevented.

At least twice a year, it is also very important to have a professional cleaning by a dental hygienist, because she has the tools and techniques to get into areas of the mouth that are hard for a patient to effectively brush and she can remove even tartar, hardened plaque, which can also cause gum disease. If yours is already progressed, she can scrape off the plaque or tartar even below the gum line and inject antibiotics to stop the infection. If you have a continuing problem, she may recommend that you have a full cleaning more often.

While you are there, it would be wise to ask her to show you the best ways to brush (the angle and way to stroke) and floss (scraping each side and moving the string).

Call Garden Grove Dental & Orthodontics today to set an appointment for a full dental exam.