We all lead busy lives. Balancing work, family life, friends, and your health can sometimes become a challenge. Even so, taking the time to see your dentist for routine dental exams is important.
But how long does a professional cleaning take? And how often should I and my family members get a dental checkup? You ask. Rest assured, at typically only twice a year and about 45 minutes to an hour each time, a dental check up and cleaning is quick and convenient.
Here, the doctors at Burnaby Mountain Dental Centre share 7 reasons why you shouldn’t skip your professional dental cleanings and checkups.
1. Preventative dental care helps you avoid tooth decay and gum disease
It’s possible to miss some plaque when brushing and flossing at home, even with extra diligent care. If that sticky plaque hardens into tartar, acids can erode your tooth enamel and make you more susceptible to tooth decay and cavities. And the bacteria in plaque and tartar can also irritate gum tissue and turn into gum disease.
When you visit us at Burnaby Mountain Dental Centre for a dental cleaning, your hygienist uses professional tools to remove the plaque and tartar that your at-home care missed. With our preventative dentistry approach, we help you maintain the best oral health possible so you can avoid treatment. A professional clean goes a long way and helps you get ahead of tartar before it weakens your teeth.
2. Dental cleanings and checkups catch little issues before they become big ones
Early detection of dental issues is one of the biggest benefits of a dental exam. While cleaning your teeth, your hygienist and dentist get an up-close view of your gums and teeth and can spot early signs of:
- tooth decay
- gum disease
- receding gums
- damaged teeth
- oral cancer
Catching a dental health issue early on is key to less invasive or costly treatment later on. We can stop or reverse tooth decay before it turns into a cavity. Or if we see early signs of gum disease, it’s possible to treat it — later stages of gum disease can’t be cured, only managed. It can also lead to issues like teeth, gum tissue, or bone loss.
As for oral cancer, a checkup allows us to examine you for any bumps, lesions, or changes in gum colour that could indicate cancerous tissue and require a comprehensive oral cancer screening.
3. A brighter smile with professional dental tools
Apart from walking out of our office with clean, tartar-free teeth, you also go home with a brighter smile. We use specialized dental cleaning tools that not only remove plaque and tartar but also remove surface stains from your enamel. Plus, we polish teeth for a smoother surface that repels plaque more easily in the weeks after your cleaning. An application of fluoride strengthens your teeth, too.
4. Diagnostics that look beyond what the eye can see
Dental checkups are an opportunity to find out if your teeth are healthy inside and out. Radiographs are part of checkups, allowing your Coquitlam dentist to see inside your teeth, under the gums and in the jawbones.
You might not get imaging at every checkup — it depends on your age, oral health history and if you have current dental issues.
Our intra-oral digital scanner creates a 3D model of your mouth so we can track and monitor changes in the enamel and gum recession.
5. You get personalized recommendations for better at-home oral hygiene
It’s common knowledge that at-home oral care for everyone should include brushing twice a day for two minutes and flossing at least once a day. The Canadian Dental Association also recommends using fluoride toothpaste, an alcohol-free mouthwash, and brushing your tongue.
That said, everyone’s teeth are different. Your dental checkup and cleaning is an opportunity for us to examine your unique teeth and offer personalized suggestions that fit your lifestyle and improve your routine.
6. Caring for your oral health improves your overall health
It is likely not news to you that there’s a connection between your oral and overall health. However, a longstanding and untreated tooth infection can actually spread to other areas of your body, and toxins and inflammation from severe gum disease may cause other health issues. Studies have linked gum disease to conditions like diabetes, and increased risks of heart disease. So it goes without saying that preventative dental care is preventative care for your entire body.
7. You model good oral care habits for your kids
If you’re a parent, you might’ve heard that kids follow what you do more than what you say. This is true for oral health, too. Show the importance of professional dental cleanings by going as scheduled and it’s fair to say that your kids will expect the same for themselves. And with the new Canada Dental Benefit (CDB), oral care can be more affordable for some families.
Dental cleanings and checkups with your dentist in Coquitlam, BC
Now that you have 7 reasons not to skip your dental cleaning and checkups, contact your expert, certified dentist in Coquitlam for your next oral health appointments. Dentists Dr. Nasim Mitha, Dr. Imran Mitha, Dr. Mostadam, Dr. Tejani, and the Burnaby Mountain Dental Centre team are here to provide you with preventative, high-quality dentistry for the whole family.
