How often do you see the dentist? Some people only make an appointment when they’re experiencing tooth pain or discomfort. Others only schedule a visit when they want to explore options to improve their smile, like teeth whitening or Invisalign®. But if you want to take advantage of preventive dentistry, you’ll want to see our dentists at least once every six months.
That way, we can help you prevent cavities, avoid gum disease, and stay on top of your oral health. Preventive dentistry is all about stopping dental problems from forming in the first place or catching oral health issues early so they’re not as severe. Our dentists offer multiple preventive services to help you protect your smile. Let’s take a look at some of our preventive dental services and how they can help you maintain your oral health.
Getting a professional teeth cleaning every six months is one of the best habits you can adopt to protect your smile. is a thin layer of microbes that can build up on your teeth over time. Buildup of plaque can lead to cavities and gum disease. Although regular brushing and flossing can remove most plaque, some may remain and develop into tartar. Tartar is a harder substance and can only be removed with the skills and tools of a dental professional. By seeing our dentists every six months, we can regularly remove plaque and tartar from your teeth, maintaining the health of your smile.
While you’re in our office for your teeth cleaning, our dentists will also perform an oral examination. Regular dental exams help us spot cavities, gum disease, and other issues in their early stages. You don’t want to wait until you’re experiencing pain before you schedule your next dental appointment. At that point, you may have a more serious dental problem that requires complex, expensive solutions. For example, a dental abscess may cause pain in your tooth, which would require root canal therapy to fix. By seeing our dentists on a regular schedule, we can catch dental problems when they’re relatively minor and easy to fix. For example, at a six-month checkup, we can spot a small cavity and schedule a quick before it develops into a more dangerous dental abscess.
Want to strengthen your teeth against cavities? Our dentists offer fluoride treatments to strengthen your natural tooth enamel. Although fluoride treatments don’t take the place of proper oral hygiene habits, they can go a long way in preventing tooth decay. Additionally, professional fluoride treatments have a higher concentration of fluoride than you’ll find in your store-bought toothpaste or even in your water supply.
Cavities and gum disease are perhaps the most well-known threats to your oral health, but other serious issues may threaten not just the health of your smile, but your overall health as well. is one of these issues. Although oral cancer starts in your mouth, it can have devastating effects for your entire body. Our dentists recommend patients get an oral cancer screening at least once a year. That way, if there are any signs of cancer, we can hopefully catch them in their earliest stages. Early detection dramatically increases your likelihood of survival for oral cancer specifically. It’s also easier and less invasive to treat in its early stages.
Our offer multiple preventive dentistry services to protect patients’ smiles. Call Grandville Dental Health Center today at (616) 531-0360, or contact us online to schedule an appointment.