Sure, you know you should brush and floss twice a day to keep your smile healthy and beautiful. But did you know you should also see your dentist every six months for checkups?
People who get semi-annual checkups are less likely to develop cavities and gum disease.
Routine checkups involve a dental examination and cleaning. If the dentist detects any problems, she’ll create a treatment plan to nip those problems in the bud.
Dr. Lisa Wyatt at Metairie Village Dentistry in Metairie, Louisiana offers a full range of dental services to keep your smile bright and healthy, including Invisalign® aligners, dental implants, crowns, and bridges. She and her team understand that routine checkups are essential for good dental health. Here’s why.
Plaque and tartar develop even if you brush and floss daily, and they can lead to tooth decay. That’s because areas of the mouth, like back molars, are difficult to reach. Semi-annual checkups with your dentist include plaque and tartar removal between your teeth and at the gum line, which protects them from the bacteria that feed on trapped food particles.
Also during your checkup, the dentist looks for the early signs of dental decay. If she detects small cavities, she can immediately begin treatment to prevent them from growing larger.
Gingivitis (early gum disease) and periodontitis (late-stage gum disease), inflammation of your gums, are serious infections that can damage the soft tissue and bones that support your teeth. At checkups, your dentist can detect gum disease, even at its earliest stages.
During those checkups, your dentist looks for receding gums, swelling, and gum pockets that are perfect homes for breeding bacteria. Early treatment is key to preventing serious complications of gum disease such as infections and loose teeth.
Oral cancers, which develop when the cells grow rapidly and out of control, are detected in more than 50,000 Americans each year. Oral cancer is responsible for more than 85% of head and neck cancers.
During routine dental exams, your dentist checks your mouth thoroughly and uses a special light to detect signs of oral cancer. If she detects and treats oral cancer early, your chances of survival are greater.
Checkups every six months are a vital part of preventive dental care. If you haven’t seen your dentist within the last six months, call 504-827-1910 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Wyatt, or use our online booking tool.
