The foundation of your dental health and whole body wellness starts at home.
- Twice daily brushing with proper technique and fluoride toothpaste
- Daily flossing — again, making sure to use proper form and technique
- If needed: mouth guards for sports or to prevent tooth grinding and a CPAP device or other sleep apnea treatments
- Awareness of your body and changes to your dental health
- Healthy diet rich in leafy greens and lean proteins and low in sugary and acidic foods and beverages
The next step is simple: scheduling twice yearly checkups ,exams, and teeth cleanings with a dentist you trust. What does a dental cleaning and checkup do for you? Let’s find out!
Reduces risk of decay and cavities
Your at-home brushing and flossing habits help remove the bacteria that lead to tooth decay and gum disease. But there are many difficult-to-clean areas in your mouth, like the back of your molars or tight spaces between teeth.
These hard-to-clean areas are a haven for bacteria. As the bacteria multiply and reproduce they form a hard and sticky film known as dental tartar. Once formed, tartar can’t be removed by brushing alone.
While brushing regularly and thoroughly can reduce the rate at which tartar accumulates, it’s not possible to prevent it completely. The foods you eat and drink as well as your own unique genetic makeup influence how fast tartar builds up.
During your dental cleaning, your hygienist will use specialized tools to gently remove these tartar deposits from your teeth. It’s kind of like hitting the reset button and helping to minimize your long-term risk of decay and cavities.
Leaves you feeling (and looking) fresh and clean
Who doesn’t love that fresh-from-the-dentist feeling?
Your teeth will never be cleaner than right after your visit to the dentist. During your appointment, we’ll:
- Remove tartar
- Clean and polish the surfaces of your teeth
- Gently floss between your teeth
Your teeth will look and feel amazing!
Are your teeth wearing little sweaters?
Do your teeth sometimes feel a little fuzzy, like they’re wearing a warm sweater? This is the opposite of the dentist-fresh feeling. It’s caused by bacterial accumulation. It’s most common after you eat carb-heavy foods like crackers or if you skip brushing your teeth.
Your dental exam can actually save your life!
It’s true! Oral cancer is shockingly common. Nearly 150 people every single day are diagnosed with cancer of the tongue, gums, or palette. Fortunately, there’s good news. If oral cancer is diagnosed early, a positive outcome is likely with prompt care and treatment.
Regular dental checkups play a vital role in the early diagnosis of oral cancer. A quick, non-invasive visual and physical exam of your mouth can identify warning signs of cancer. This exam is included in every dental exam at First Impressions Dentistry.
The best offense is a good defense
I know this might seem like heresy here in Big 12 football country, but it’s true: the best offense is a good defense. Proactive and preventive care helps reduce your risk for bigger dental health problems down the road. At First Impressions Dentistry, we aim to fix small problems before they become costly and invasive repairs.
Crazing, chips, and cracks
Crazing is thin vertical lines (virtually invisible) fractures in the tooth. While generally not a big deal, we like to keep an eye on them to make sure they’re not spreading or getting too big too fast. Crazing is similar to the tiny cracks in a coffee mug or other piece of pottery.
Larger chips and cracks, on the other hand, do require extra vigilance and in some cases corrective action. The problem with chips and cracks is they can result in complete fractures that may require a tooth extraction. Dental bonding treatments can be applied to small chips and cracks to restore the shape, appearance, function, and strength of the tooth. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Gum disease warning signs
Once gum disease takes root, it’s hard to eliminate. The best thing to do is catch the infection early and stop it in its tracks. During your appointment, your dentist and hygienist will be on the lookout for signs of gum disease and ask if you’ve been experiencing:
- Tender gums
- Swollen gums
- Bleeding gums
- Chronic bad breath
When gum disease is caught early it can be reversed with simple steps like better brushing and flossing habits and the use of prescription mouth rinses.
Spot warning signs of other health problems
Most people don’t realize just how much their mouths can tell them about the health of their body! Most commonly, the earliest warning signs of diabetes may be first spotted by your dentist.
Your dentist can also identify serious health issues like:
- Sleep apnea – Chronic drowsiness and snoring are common signs. Your dentist may recognize problems with your airway during your exam or after taking x-rays.
- Stress – Yes, stress is a disease and it’s a serious one! Your dentist may recognize chipped and cracked teeth caused by bruxism, also known as tooth grinding.
- Poor nutrition – Excessive decay and/or wear and tear on the teeth may be a sign that your diet needs to be improved. Your dentist can offer you advice about nutrition and the best foods to eat to improve your health.
- Osteoporosis – Loose teeth and receding gums are a warning sign for changes to your bone health. If you’re at high risk of osteoporosis, your dentist may recommend a bone density test performed by your primary care physician.
“How much does teeth cleaning cost?”
It’s a common question. We encourage you to think of your teeth cleaning and dental exam as an investment.
Please don’t worry if it’s been years since your last dental exam and teeth cleaning. The best time to call us to schedule is right now. The sooner we see you, the sooner you can start to feel confident about your dental health.
There’s never any judgment in our office and we only want what’s best for you. We offer flexible financing and payment options for patients without insurance, too!
We hope to see you soon! Call us today.
